Renee Alexander began serving as CEO of the Minnesota State Fair in May of 2023. With over two decades of experience in various leadership roles within the fair, she has played a key role in shaping the event into one of the largest and best attended events in North America.
Alexander is dedicated to furthering the fair's mission of celebrating Minnesota's rich agricultural heritage, showcasing diverse cultural experiences, and providing exceptional entertainment for all attendees.
Apr 24 Speaker: Renee Alexander, MN State Fair CEO
The Rotary Club of Edina’s Board of Directors recently approved the following applicant via board and committee member electronic vote on April 6, 2025 for membership.
Mike Olson
Great Goats Landscaping, Inc.
Classification: Landscape Services
Sponsor: Josh Sprague
Written objections to the application must be submitted before Midnight, Tuesday, April 15, 2025, to Rotary Club of Edina, PO Box 24481, Edina, MN 55424 or emailed to administrator@EdinaRotary.org.
Heather Edelson is a County Commissioner on the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners and was elected in May of 2024. She represents District 6 of Hennepin County, which encompasses 16 cities, including Hopkins, Edina, Minnetonka, Orono, Excelsior and Wayzata. Commissioner Edelson's topic will be a Hennepin County Update. Her latest newsletter can be found HERE.
Bryan Piatt is a mental health therapist, specializing in supporting people living with OCD and anxiety. He is a former news anchor and reporter at KARE 11, and the host of the “Take What Serves. Leave the Rest” podcast—which creates a safe space to talk about mental health.
For the last five years Bryan has been speaking publicly about his own journey with OCD and anxiety. He is also a Breathwork facilitator, meditation guide, and yoga teacher. Woven throughout all of his work is the message that—no matter what you're experiencing—you aren’t alone." Click HERE to learn more about Bryan and his work.
Apr 3 Speaker: Bryan Piatt, Mental Health Therapist
Greg Scott is a long-time technology and cybersecurity professional. He is also a writer, father, and grandfather. He still attends Hard Knock University, which continue to teach him valuable life lessons. Click below for additional information and links to his social media.
LAST DAY TO ORDER, MONDAY, MAR 31. Once again EMRC has partnered with Gertens Fundraising to offer a beautiful selection of flowers and plants just right for your spring needs. The flower sale supports the effort to end Polio. Order deadline is Tuesday, March 31, 2025. Click HERE for order form.
Kaleena Burkes, Director for Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls, "Breaking Barriers: The Historic Journey of the Office for Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls"
Director Burkes has a strong background in advocacy, public policy, and research. She has dedicated her career to advocating for vulnerable and marginalized communities. Before becoming Director of the MMBWG Office, Director Burkes spent almost a decade at the State Guardian ad Litem Board where she honed her advocacy and public policy skills ensuring that families impacted by the child welfare system had equitable experiences.
Edina Mayor James B. Hovland and Edina Public Schools Superintendent Stacie Stanley will present the 2025 State of the Community Tuesday, March 4.
The presentation will be emceed by City Manager Scott Neal and is co-sponsored by the Rotary Club of Edina, Rotary Club of Edina Morningside and Edina Chamber of Commerce. It will be presented at Braemar Golf Course, 6364 John Harris Drive, and recorded for broadcast on Edina TV. Scan QR code or click to "Read More' for important event details and a registration link.
Thank you to Rotary Club of Edina members for your generous donations of money, gift cards, toys and clothing for our 30th year of the Holiday Gift Giving Program.
Because of your kind hearts and generosity, our club was able to donate 100 gift cards to youth exiting homelessness at 66 West, 60 gift cards to Good in the Hood for their annual Holiday Shop experience for families in need, and boxes and bags of gifts, blankets, and clothing to Simpson Housing Services for homeless families in transition. What joy this club brought to so many during the often trying times of the holidays! A special Thank You to: Paul Mooty for donating items from Faribault Woolen Mill for a live auction at a December club meeting that resulted in the collection of $2,845; Susan Stiles for donation of many boxes of winter jackets, boots, gloves and hats; David Clynes for a significant donation from his family foundation. We are proud to be members of this club and to help with this important annual giving program.
“There’s not satisfaction a person can gain that’s equal to the satisfaction that you get from knowing that you have made another’s life, your community, a little better for your effort.”---Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Jean Morrison and Les Jones
2024 Holiday Gift Giving Program Update And Thank You!
Our bi-monthly DEI gatherings at Pimento Jamaican Kitchen has undergone a rebranding. These gatherings are now known as "Twin Cities Entrepreneur Circle"/Connecting entrepreneurs across the Twin Cities. Join us for the first of six dates in 2025; February 20, April 17, June 19, August 21, October 16 and December 11, 2025 with cocktails, appetizers and networking offered from 5:30 to 7 pm each meeting date. Guest REGISTRATION.
Building on Phillip Koehn thoughtful phrase, "Minorities and majorities need to be given room for human and cultural exchange." The first speaker, Alex Merritt, The Love Engineer, is on a mission to bring logic to love. Her workshops and keynotes on communication and team connection deliver practical and actionable strategies that transform lives.
This is a very casual and informal gathering and non-Rotarian guests are welcomed and encouraged to attend. Open to the public, registration is appreciated but not mandatory. Click HERE to add your name to the guest list. We look forward to meeting you. Pimento Jamaican Kitchen, 2524 Nicollet Avenue, Minneapolis MN 55404. Call Josh Sprague, Edina Rotary, 612-501-0252
Prospective Member Day - February 6. Several times throughout the year The Rotary Club of Edina speaker committee designs meeting programs and speakers to promote general public interest that give our members the opportunity to introduce friends, family, and co-workers to Rotary. These events can be used as a casual way to share your Rotary experience, fellowship, and dedication to a collective humanitarian cause. Please take a moment to think of the people you know who are people of action in solving some of our world's most persistent problems by promoting peace; fighting disease; finding access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene; saving mothers and children; enhancing education; localizing economy growth and protection of our climate and environment. Your guest(s) lunch and program are complimentary. Schedule conflict? Share www.rotary.org and www.edinarotary.org with someone you know.
Hennepin County Sheriff, Dawanna S. Witt, was elected as the Hennepin County Sheriff on November 8, 2022. She was sworn in and took office on Tuesday, January 3, 2023. She is the first woman and person of color to hold the office.
Born in Chicago and raised in Minneapolis, Sheriff Witt became a mother at 15 but nevertheless excelled at school. She earned several scholarships to college, including the Justice Alan Page Scholarship. In college, Sheriff Witt studied chemical dependency and family therapy. She volunteered in several community organizations and saw firsthand how her actions could make a positive difference in the lives of young people. Her passion for working with kids remains to this day.
Dave Lee, who was recently inducted into the Minnesota Broadcast Hall of fame, spent 32 years at WCCO radio, 29 on the morning show. He has been recognized with Murrow awards, numerous associated press and northwest news broadcast awards, the National Association of Broadcasters as Minnesota’s sportscaster of the year 6 times. also nominated for the national Marconi award. Dave will speak about how media has changed and how his favorite stories impacted his life. Click “More” for additional Dave Lee details.
At last week's meeting and in accordance with the Rotary Club of Edina bylaws, the immediate past president, Shelly Loberg, presented the nominations of Secretary and the Club directors who will replace the 2025-24 outgoing committee directors at the end of the year, June 30, 2025. Past President Loberg convened the meeting of the nominating committee comprised of her and the previous two past presidents and current officers to select nominees.
A complete list of 2025-2026 board and committee directors can be found below by clicking Read More. After signing into your club profile, current club bylaws can reviewed HERE.
Join us to hear Kirk Richards, VP and Chief Administrator at Starkey Hearing Foundation speak. SHF, a global nonprofit founded by William F. Austin, gives the gift of hearing to people in need in the U.S. and around the world. According to the World Health Organization, disabling hearing loss affects around 466 million people worldwide, including 34 million children, yet many do not have access to the hearing healthcare. Our mission is to give the gift of hearing to those in need, empowering them to achieve their potential.
Richards spent three years as an International Program Director at Starkey Hearing Foundation, leading a team as we created awareness of hearing loss and its impact on developing countries. They brought the WFA Community Based Hearing Healthcare program to nine Caribbean countries and successfully implemented the program in partnerships with local governments and NGOs.
LAST DAY, to donate December 19! Bring gifts, cash or make donations to the Holiday Party. The Rotary Club of Edina is once again collecting holiday gifts for local community families and youth in need. During these challenging times, there is a special urgency for help and support. Rotarians Jean Morrison and Les Jones are organizing the Holiday Giving Program with donations going to 66 West, Good in the Hood, and the Young Parent Program this holiday season. Dec. 12 meeting will feature some Faribault Mill items to be auctioned during the meeting. Program details and gift suggestions below. DONATE HERE or click on the picture.
In December, we kick off the drive for your donation to The Rotary Foundation. In this season of giving and tax preparation you may be curious about your TRF donations. Simply visit the Rotary International website and access your personal profile. Click HERE to download an instruction sheet on how to view your Rotary Foundation giving statistics.
November 2024 Event - Thursday, Nov 21, 5:30-7pm. In partnership with Tomme Beevas and Pimento Relief Services, Black Business Networking will encourage us to continue to expand the efforts of our club's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. This Month's speaker is Hollies Winston, the historic first Black mayor of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, with its 86,000 residents and being the 6th largest city in Minnesota he brings a deep-rooted commitment to community and economic empowerment. This is a unique opportunity to get to know Mayor Winston and hear first-hand the challenges and program successes in governing this ever-evolving city. This 2024 networking event will be held bi-monthly the third Thursday from 5:30-7pm at Pimento Jamaican Kitchen, 2524 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404. REGISTER TODAY
Mid-winter 2024, Daniel Crawford could have never imagined that he would walk 1,000 miles across the country.
Crawford, 55, is a Marine veteran. On Feb. 3, he set foot on a journey from Austin, Minn., that has taken him through six states. On Monday, he watched the total solar eclipse from just outside Austin, Texas.
His mission wasn’t one of endurance, but to raise awareness for the Minnesota organization that changed his life and helped him get sober. Read more on his story on hope HERE.
Nov 7 Speaker: Daniel Crawford, 23rd Veteran Fundraiser
EARLY START - DOORS OPEN AT 11:00 am -- 2024 Veterans Day Lunch Program.
When: Thursday, November 14, 2024, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Where: Edina Country Club, Area 3/Southwest Metro Rotary Clubs
This year's program emcee is Mark Shockey. Keynote speaker is Bill Wenmark.
This is an Area 3/Southwest Metro Rotary Club sponsored event . The $30 cost for non-veteran Edina Noon members will be offset by their meeting fees with a $3 up charge billed to their January 2025 invoice. There is no charge for Rotarian veterans and their veteran guests. Non-Veteran guest cost is $30 per person.
Volunteer to build dressers and help with Bridging warehouse maintenance on Monday, April 14. SIGN UP. Signup closes April 4th.
Bridging empowers people to thrive in their homes by providing quality furniture and household goods for those pursuing housing stability.
Additional information about Bridging is available HERE. Thank you for supporting this mission with your incredible gift of time and talents! Please let us know if you have any questions or requests for accommodation. Please share with friends and family and RSVP by April 4th! Details below.
It is time for the Fall Fireside Chats and we are looking for several volunteers to host events at their homes in the month of October/November. Days and times can be flexible to your schedule. If you would like to host a Fireside Chat, or are a new member and want to know more about these events, please contact Julie Westbrock.
Sharon is our District Governor for Rotary year 2024 to 2025 and her home club is Minneapolis Rotary Club #9. She celebrates her 21st anniversary in Rotary this year!
Sharon owns one of the largest private investment firms wholly owned by a woman in Minnesota and Florida. She says she attributes much of this success to Rotary. This is where she learned her public speaking and leadership skills, and her fellow Rotarians mentored her and welcomed her into this community. She is committed to giving back to Rotary. In 2023 she completed the largest ever fundraiser for our Rotary District – raising $3 million on top of the usual annual $1 million as District Foundation Chair.
For fun she coaches the top 150 women in global tennis on financial behaviors. She is a five-time Minnesota State Fair blue ribbon winning flower arranger and she collects shoes of very famous women including Margaret Thatcher and Audrey Hepburn.
October 3 Speaker: Dist. Governor, Sharon Bloodworth
In collaboration with Edina Morningside Rotary Club, Wed., Oct 2 will the first of our 2024-25 rotary year member mixers designed to get to know our members and their careers in a very casual networking environment.
Geetu Sharma is the co-founder and Chief Investment Officer of 95 Impact Partners, LLC, as well as the founder and investment manager of AlphasFuture, LLC. In these roles, she provides investment solutions and services to individuals, family offices and foundations. Previously she has worked at Pictet Asset Management in Switzerland, with Credit Suisse and Standard & Poor’s in the U.K. and with the ICICI Bank Group in India. Geetu earned a bachelor's degree in commerce from Delhi University, completed a graduate program in finance at the Management Development Institute in India, and earned an M.B.A. from the London Business School.
Please register HERE. It helps us plan for food and drink. Download the flyer HERE.
Gilbert Davison is a native Minnesotan with over 35 years of experience in the music, business, and entertainment industries.
Entering the music industry in the field of personal protection, Mr. Davison's positions have included Director of Security, Liaison for CEO, President of Paisley Park Enterprise, President of Heaven & Earth Inc., Owner and licensee of Glam Slam Nightclubs and The Quest entertainment venue, lecturer and educator, and CEO of VIA Legacy LLC.
The “Purple Auction,” an online auction featuring signed rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia benefitting the Edina Rotary Foundation, opens 8 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 14.
Auction items include memorabilia autographed by Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Daryl Hall, Fleetwood Mac, Peter Frampton and Steve Miller. Other signed items are from Prince’s New Power Generation, Barry Manilow, Carrie Underwood, Cory Wong, Sheila E and others, curated by Rotary Club of Edina President and rock ‘n’ roll star St. Paul Peterson. Other items include gift certificates and event tickets.
To bid, visit PurpleAuction2024.com and set up a bidder account. If someone outbids you, you’ll receive notifications via email and text with a direct link to counter bid, if desired. The auction will close 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, during the “Purple Gala” fundraiser at Paisley Park, 7801 Audubon Road, Chanhassen.
Sept 2024 Event - Thursday, Sept 19, 5:30-7pm. In partnership with Tomme Beevas and Pimento Relief Services, Black Business Networking will encourage us to continue to expand the efforts of our club's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. This weeks speaker is Kenya McKnight-Ahad, Founder and CEO of Black Women Wealth Alliance. BWWA's mission is the vision of fostering an equitable community, where Black women have unimpeded access to vital resources and opportunities.This 2024 networking event will be held bi-monthly the third Thursday from 5:30-7pm at Pimento Jamaican Kitchen, 2524 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404. Click HERE for flyer. REGISTER HERE
Sept 19 - Black Business Mixer, Kenya McKnight-Ahad
Pilar Gerasimo is an award-winning health journalist, pioneering social explorer, podcaster and author of The Healthy Deviant: A Rule-Breaker’s Guide to Being Healthy in an Unhealthy World (North Atlantic Books, 2020).
Best known for her visionary work as founding editor of Experience Life magazine, which today reaches more than three million people with each issue, Pilar has also served as top health editor for The Huffington Post, and as visiting faculty for the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.
Today, Pilar co-hosts a top-rated podcast called The Living Experiment and teaches online courses through her digital learning platform, Healthy Deviant Academy. She guest lectures at universities, leads workshops at top retreat centers, and consults for organizations committing to transforming health and happiness at work and around the globe. Her work has been featured by the World Economic Forum, MIT, International Monetary Fund, and a variety of other thought-leading platforms.
When she’s not traveling, Pilar hangs out on her family's organic, communal farm in Wisconsin with her pit bull pal, Sally Sue.
Learn more at www.healthydeviant.com (where you can also take the “Are You a Healthy Deviant?” quiz).
Join Pilar's private Healthy Deviant Facebook Group or follow her on Instagram at @pgerasimo.
President Paul Peterson announced the date, theme and location for this year's Edina Rotary Foundation fundraiser. Please mark Saturday, September 28 as the date to party at "The Purple Gala". The location will be the internationally known Paisley Park in Chanhassen. Rotary Club of Edina event tickets are now on sale. Price is $225. ORDER HERE. Tickets are open for sale to the public. Watch for additonal details and fun gala facts in the days and weeks to come.
Andrea Swensson grew up in Moose Lake, Minnesota, and started writing about music as a teenager in a diary she hid under her mattress. She briefly contemplated a career as a classically trained concert pianist at Hamline University, and later studied creative writing at Metro State. In 2007, she co-founded and was managing editor at Reveille Magazine, a music magazine for “the casual fans, the music lovers, the freaks, the audiophiles, the hipsters, the scenesters, the quiet ones in the corner of the bar who sway softly to the music.” For many more detials click "Read More".
Sami Cowger has been the Edina Girls High School head hockey coach for 8 seasons. An Edina Alum herself, Sami played hockey for Edina from 2007-2011 and then continued her hockey career at Harvard University where she played 4 years of college hockey. While at Harvard, Sami amassed 108 career points and captained her team to the National Title game in 2015. Coach Cowger will be joined by recent EHS graduate and varsity hockey player, Nora McConnell.
Smalley is a former professional baseball shortstop who played in Major League Baseball for 13 years for teams including the Minnesota Twins. He is now an analyst for Bally Sports North. Souhan is a sports columnist for the Star Tribune known for his coverage of the local sports scene in Minnesota. Click "Read More" for details about the careers for each speaker.
One of the state’s largest service organizations will have a significant presence at the 2024 Minnesota State Fair Saturday, Aug. 24.
More than 300 Rotarians from Rotary International District 5950 will be present for the Great Minnesota Get Together on its opening weekend. Working in four shifts throughout the day, Rotarians will complete a service project, a waste audit conducted as a collaboration with the Office of Enterprise Sustainability at the Minnesota Department of Administration, the Minnesota Technical Assistance Program and the Minnesota State Fair Operations staff. Rotarians will help collect data to identify and provide recommendations to reduce trash, increase recycling, improve organics collection, avoid unnecessary waste, and reuse or repurpose waste items.
Rotary will also have a unit in the 2 p.m. parade. The float will feature 75 Rotarians and North Star youth exchange students. Click "Read More" for additional details.
Got a new look? Was your last Rotary profile picture a scanned B/W from your high-school year book? Photographer Jason Heuer has agreed to take Rotary portraits before our meeting Thursday, Aug. 15. He will start taking portraits around 11:30 a.m., until the start of the meeting. Dress can be business or casual. ennifer Bennerotte will get the finished photos from Jason, resize them and upload them to your Rotary profile.
Looking to make a difference in Edina? Get more involved in the community? Meet new people?
Attend the Rotary Club of Edina’s Prospective Member Day 12:15-1:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 15, at the Edina Country Club, 5100 Wooddale Ave., to learn more about the organization and hear from guest speakers Roy Smalley and Jim Souhan. There is no charge for guests at the luncheon.
Smalley is a former professional baseball shortstop who played in Major League Baseball for 13 years for teams including the Minnesota Twins. He is now an analyst for Bally Sports North. Souhan is a sports columnist for the Star Tribune known for his coverage of the local sports scene in Minnesota. Click "Read More" for further details and contact information.
Last minute bus seats available. Register HERE. Tour of distillery and lunch at O'Shaughnessy Distilling Co. hosted by Master Distiller, Brian Nation. With over 24 years of experience in developing some of the most renowned and high-quality Irish whiskeys in the world, Brian knows what it takes to build the perfect liquid. Born and raised in Cork City, Ireland, Brian Nation is crossed the pond to join O’Shaughnessy Distilling Company as Master Distiller to spearhead the journey of developing world-class whiskeys by implementing the best of Irish and American whiskey making traditions.This event is our regular Edina Rotary Club Thursday meeting and available to current active and senior active member.
If you plan to attend, please RSVP by Thursday, September 6, so lunch count can be given to the caterer. Reserve your spot to attend and/or ride the bus HERE. Click Read More for additional meeting details.
Founded by Mick Sterling in 2011, The 30-Days Foundation, a Twin-Cities based 501 c3 non-profit, has provided one-time financial grants made payable only to the service provider for Minnesota residents. The foundation has fulfilled nearly 110,000 requests for assistance for matters such as back rent, first month rent, utility bills, medical bills, school clothes, car repairs, sober house assistance, birth certificate renewals, moving fees, storage fees and more. In effect, the everyday financial obligations that if remain unpaid, lead to further debt and potential eviction from homes or apartments, vehicle being repossessed and more. Click here for short VIDEO.
Aug 8 Speaker: Mick Sterling, The 30-Days Foundation
Joe Schmit is an award-winning broadcaster, community leader, an author and popular keynote speaker. He is a 2019 inductee into the Minnesota Speakers Hall of fame and has earned his CSP (Certified Speaking Professional) designation from the National Speakers Association. He has won 19 Emmys from the National Television Academy. In 2020, Joe was awarded The Silver Circle designation by the Upper Midwest Chapter of the Emmys for extraordinary contributions to the broadcasting industry. He was also honored with a National Headliner Award in 2001.
Rotary Club of Edina Past President Shelly Loberg recently recognized a Rotarian for outstanding service to the club and community. Kaylin Eidsness was named “Rotarian of the Year.”
Eidsness, who joined the club in 2013, co-chaired the Edina Rotary Foundation’s annual fundraiser, “Bootleggers’ Ball.” A talented graphic designer, Eidsness designed the logo and materials for the 2023 fundraiser, as well as materials for most of the club’s fundraisers for the past decade. She is also a longtime member of the club’s Public Image Committee and was an instrumental member of the Program Committee for the 2023-2024 Rotary year, finding and assisting speakers for weekly meetings.
Bob Scott, a member since 2023, was named the club’s Volunteer of the Year. Scott served on the club’s Fundraiser, Scholarships and Women in Leadership Award committees.
Jennifer Bennerotte was presented with a Distinguished Service Award. She co-chaired the annual fundraiser with Eidsness; chaired the Scholarships, Women in Leadership Award and third-grade literacy program committees and served on the Community Service – Local Grants and Public Image committees.
Eidsness, Scott and Bennerotte each received a plaque for their dedicated service during the 2023-2024 Rotary year, which ended June 30.
The Edina Rotary Foundation is accepting applications from nonprofit organizations in Edina and its contiguous communities for grants to be used for capital purchases. Applications are due Oct. 31. Grant guidelines can be found HERE. Grant application can be found HERE.
The Rotary Club of Edina, with support from the 50th & France Business & Professional Association and Explore Edina, will host the sixth-annual Edina Car Show noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, in downtown Edina. This a free to attend event and you can get the latest details by clicking HERE.
Mark Saturday, September 14, Noon to 4 pm to participate or attend (free) the 6th Annual Edina Car Show. Follow social media posts on Instagram, @edinacarshow, Facebook, Edina Car Show, You Tube @ edinacarshow for the latest details, corporate sponsors and special promotions.
Celebrated musician and community advocate Paul “St. Paul” Peterson will be inducted as the Rotary Club of Edina’s 70th President at the group’s weekly meeting Thursday, June 27.
“As the 70th President of the Rotary Club of Edina, I am honored to lead this dedicated group of individuals who embody the spirit of ‘Service above Self,’” said Peterson, who has been a Rotarian for 12 years. “Our goal is to create a club for everyone to come together and make a positive impact in our community. Together, we will continue to build on our legacy of service, bringing about meaningful change both locally and globally.”
Thirty-four students graduated from Edina High School as Rotary Global Scholars.
The Rotary Global Scholars program, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Edina and the Edina Education Fund, was designed to help students develop global competency skills, prepare for a global career, develop understanding of world issues and learn to apply academic content to solve social and global issues.
The June 27, 2024 meeting will mark the 70th presidential transition for the Rotary Club of Edina. During this meeting current president, Shelly Loberg, will hand over the presidential duties to Paul Peterson. Paul joined the Edina Rotary Club in November 2012. His sponsor is Paul Mooty and his classification is Entertainment. The 2024-25 board of directors will be President, Paul Peterson; President Elect, Lisa Walker; Treasurer, Gerry Norton; Secretary; Erica Allenburg; Past President, Shelly Loberg. 2024-25 Committee Directors are: Community Grants-Local, Nick Van Beek; Youth Services, Eli Groenendyk; International Grants, Jennifer Hendrickson; Social Activities, Julie Westbrock; Community Service Projects, Nikki Ahlgren; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Jamal Adam; Public Image, Chris Laskowski; Club Administration, Mike Martiny; Membership, Brent Lundell and Vinita Steffl; Rotary Foundation, Raj Kumar.
The Rotary Club of Edina’s Board of Directors recently approved the following applicant below for membership via electronic vote. Katy is a current member of the St. Cloud Rotary Club and has relocated to western suburb:
Katy Kirchner
Independent Contractor
Classification: Healthcare Administration
Sponsor: Bob Scott
Written objections to the application must be submitted before Midnight, Tuesday, June 11, 2024, to Rotary Club of Edina, PO Box 24481, Edina, MN 55424 or emailed to administrator@EdinaRotary.org.
The Rotary Club of Edina recently presented three scholarships to deserving students at Edina High School.
The Rotary Club of Edina presents $1,500 scholarships to graduating Edina seniors who exemplify the Rotary motto of “Service Above Self” and have participated in Rotary programs such as Camp Enterprise, Camp RYLA, fall ethics seminar, Vocational Ethics Day, youth exchange, Edina Rotary Global Scholars or the Interact Club of Edina. This year’s scholarships were presented to Katerina Duda and Rakiya Sheikhosman.
MEETING LOCATION - The District Edina!!REGISTER HERE Next Vocational Mixer is Wednesday, June 5, 2024. 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. meet and greet. Reserve your spot today.
Our speaker will be Edina Morningside President Elect, Bocar Kane. Bocar was inducted into EMRC in July of 2021. He is the Founder/President/CEO of AMKA Safety, a design, development and manufacturing company who delivers innovative safety solutions to improve roadway safety for drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and workers. Think roadway markings, traffic cones, curb ramps, safety apparel. https://www.amkasafety.com
Join us at The District Edina, 7777 Washington Ave, Suite 201, Edina MN 55439. Cost to attend is a $10.00 food/$20 for food and beverages. Reserve your spot today HERE.
Feroza Mehta is the editor of Edina Magazine, bringing her wealth of experience from a diverse journalism background. A passionate advocate for autism awareness and acceptance, Feroza's commitment to meaningful storytelling extends beyond her editorial role. With a love of writing found as a high school newspaper reporter, she sharpened her skills at Ottawa’s Carleton University in the bachelor of journalism program before pursuing a master's in international journalism at City University of London. Feroza's impactful career includes reporting for Citytv and CTV, as well as contributing to the Calgary Herald. Her journey reflects a dedication to journalistic excellence and a profound commitment to social advocacy. She was born and raised in Canada and moved to the United States in 2006.
May 23 Speaker: Feroza Mehta, Editor, Edina Magazine
Todd Milburn, was appointed as chief of the Edina Police Department in 2021. Milburn, who began his career as a community service officer in 1992, has held various roles including patrol officer, SWAT officer, and public information officer. He aims to advance Edina's Police Department through contemporary policing practices and team collaboration.
Andrew Slama, with 15+ years of fire service experience, became Edina's fire chief in 2021. Slama continues the excellent public safety legacy of Edina Fire's Department and credited a colleague for introducing him to firefighting during his carpentry days. His journey included roles in various fire departments before returning to Edina as paramedic. The City Council and Mayor welcomed him back, commending his fit for the community's needs, while Slama emphasized the department's commitment to residents' safety.
May 16 Speakers: Milburn, and Slama, Edina Police and Fire Chiefs
Odell Wilson is the VP/COO of The Redemption Project and retired Supervising U.S. Probation and Pre-trial Services Officer. He attended Penn State University on an athletic scholarship and was a member of the 1986 National Championship football team. In 1989 Odell graduated with a degree in rehabilitation education and then attended graduate school at Penn State University, where he received a master's degree in counselor education. He retired as a Federal Probation Officer with 27 years of service, the last five years as a supervisor. Click HERE for more information on The Redemption Project.
Thursday, May 16, 2023, 5:30-7pm. REGISTERHERE In partnership with Tomme Beevas and Pimento Relief Services, Black Business Networking will encourage us to continue to expand the efforts of our club's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. This weeks speaker is Armetha Pihlstrom, Founder and CEO of Pihlstrom Consulting Group, LLC. PCG is a consulting firm making brands and business a household name! The 2024 networking event will be held Thursday, May 16 from 5:30-7pm at Pimento Jamaican Kitchen, 2524 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404. Register HERE. See additional information below.
DEADLINE for nominations is Tuesday, April 30th. Application HERE. The Rotary Club of Edina seeks nominees for the 17th-annual “Chrysanne Manoles Women In Leadership Award.”
Samuel is the Board Chair of the Minnesota Black Chamber of Commerce and is Program Officer with the Minneapolis Foundation. The Minnesota Black Chamber of Commerce is committed to serving Black-owned businesses and their communities through access to education, advocacy and economic development. Their goal is to maximize the potential of every Black-owned business, large or small, by providing equitable opportunities for growth at every stage. More MBCC information can be found HERE.
Apr 4 Speaker: Samuel Ndely, MN Black Chamber of Commerce
MEETING LOCATION - The District Edina!!REGISTER HERE Next Vocational Mixer formerly known as Vocational/Avocation Happy Hour is Wednesday, April 3, 2024. 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. meet and greet. Reserve your spot today.
Our speaker will be Dr. Rassacin Ly, D.C. who has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Minnesota and his Doctor of Chiropractic and certification of Chiropractic Acupuncture from Northwestern Health Sciences University. Dr. Ly is a new member of the Edina Morningside Rotary Club Join us at The District Edina, 7777 Washington Ave, Suite 201, Edina MN 55439. Cost to attend is a $10.00 food/$20 for food and beverages. Reserve your spot today HERE.
The City of Edina will host a blood drive for Memorial Blood Centers 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 27, in the Council Chambers of Edina City Hall, 4801 W. 50th St. According to the Memorial Blood Center, the Twin Cities faces a high demand for blood. Those in need include cancer patients; accident, burn and trauma victims; newborn babies and mothers delivering babies; transplant recipients; surgery patients; chronically transfused patients with sickle cell disease; and many more. Save time by completing your health history questionnaire online on the day of your donation HERE.
This Thursday, March 28 is the LAST DAY to ORDER Edina Morningside Rotary ClubOnline Gertens Supplied Fundraiser! Proceeds will go toward Rotary International-End Polio Now.
ORDER HERE. Enter Store 775to access form and orders must be completed by 10 PM on Thursday, March 28.
NO LATE ORDERS WILL BE ACCEPTED.
Your order will be ready for PICK UP on Wednesday, May 8 from 4:30-6:30 PM at St. Peter's Lutheran Church (5421 France Ave S, Edina, MN 55410).
If you have any questions or would like your plants delivered for a $25 fee, please contact your fundraiser chair: Talley Flora, tlflora@redseat.com, 612-803-3057.
JOIN US on Saturday, Sept 14. Noon to 4 pm, in downtown Edina at 50th & France. Admission is free for spectators. There will be food trucks and beverages on-site for your enjoyment. The Rotary Club of Edina and the 50th & France Business & Professional Association is hosting the fifth-annual Edina Car Show. This car show will be held rain or shine and supports the Edina Rotary Foundation local and international charitable giving initiative.
MEETING LOCATION - The District Edina!!REGISTER HERE Next Vocational Mixer formerly known as Vocational/Avocation Happy Hour is Wednesday, March 6, 2024. 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. meet and greet. Reserve your spot today.
Our speaker will be Nikki Ahlgren. She is the Founder and CEO of Hilo Talent Partners, a boutique talent search and people strategy firm. She has 20 years of experience leading people & operational strategy for organizations of all sizes and industries from start-ups to Fortune 10. Nikki is a member of the Rotary Club of Edina. Join us at The District Edina, 7777 Washington Ave, Suite 201, Edina MN 55439. Cost to attend is a $10.00 food/$20 for food and beverages. Reserve your spot today HERE.
The presentation will be emceed by City Manager Scott Neal and is co-sponsored by the Rotary Club of Edina, Rotary Club of Edina Morningside and Edina Chamber of Commerce. It will be presented at Braemar Golf Course, 6364 John Harris Drive, and recorded for broadcast on Edina TV.
Registration is closed. Read more for presentation details.
A multi-media content creator, Roshini Rajkumar is a licensed attorney whose first career as a TV broadcaster laid the groundwork for her current life as a talk show host and C-suite strategist and crisis coach.
She hosts Real Talk with Roshini on WCCO Radio and Real Leaders with Roshini podcast (on your favorite podcast app) and brings all her skills to virtual settings and main stages as a speaker and MC. "Read More" or click here for additional information, The Crisis Files and Video Intro
Edina High School senior Katerina Duda has been named a Guatemala Literacy Fellow.
Duda is an Edina Rotary Global Scholar. She completed her Global Scholars capstone project last year, researching literacy in Guatemala. During her research, she came across the Guatemala Literacy Project, one of the largest grassroots, multi-club, multi-district projects in Rotary. More than 800 clubs and 90 districts have been working together since 1997 to improve education for underserved students in Guatemala. In that time, more than 295,000 students have been served through four sustainable programs that are tested and proven to work.
HELP! MAR 20 NEEDS FOUR PEOPLESign 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 HERE Busy on March 20? May 15 is our next date and you can sign up HERE
Thursday, Mar 21, 2023, 5:30-7pm. REGISTERHERE In partnership with Tomme Beevas and Pimento Relief Services, Black Business Networking will encourage us to continue to expand the efforts of our club's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. The 2024 networking event will be held Thursday, March 21 from 5:30-7pm at Pimento Jamaican Kitchen, 2524 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404. This week's featured business leader is Nekima Levy Armstrong, founder of the Racial Justice Network, and owns two companies, Dope Roots and Black Pearl, LLC. In 2024, she was honored as a Minnesota Attorney of the Year for her work on an environmental justice case against the city of Minneapolis, called Smart Growth. Register HERE. See additional information below.
IT'S OFFICIAL- Monday, February 19 is State Capitol Rotary Awareness Day - !!REGISTER TODAY!! and see the full schedule and event info and details.
We’re joining to advocate for successful passage of a Rotary license plate bill legislators are considering at our Minnesota State Capitol this session. This means money for 3 Minnesota Rotary foundations, if Rotary license plates are approved for sale by the State. Rotary District 5950, 5960 & 5580 all benefit.
Rotary Awareness Day
Monday, February 19, 2024
Minnesota State Capitol
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
L’Etoile du Nord Vault Room
(beneath the Rotunda)
Enjoy snacks and fellowship with Rotarians, NorthStar Youth Exchange and Interact Club students from across the state.
Thursday, Jan 18, 2023, 5:30-7pm. REGISTERHERE In partnership with Tomme Beevas and Pimento Relief Services, Black Business Networking will encourage us to continue to expand the efforts of our club's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. The 2024 networking event will be held Thursday, January 18 from 5:30-7pm at Pimento Jamaican Kitchen, 2524 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404. This week's featured business leader is Miquel Purvis McMoore, Founder and CEO of kpCompanies. A Minneapolis search firm centered in a inclusivity-first approach to matching companies and top professional talent. See additional information below.
The Rotary Club of Edina’s Board of Directors recently approved the following applicants below for membership at the December 20, 2023 Rotary Club of Edina board meeting:
Amber Tyrrell
Pruddon Company
Classification: Real Estate
Sponsor: David Clynes
Chris O'Connell
loanDepot
Classification: Mortgage Lending
Sponsor: Josh Sprague
Written objections to the application must be submitted before Midnight, Thursday, January 4, 2024, to Rotary Club of Edina, PO Box 24481, Edina, MN 55424 or emailed to administrator@EdinaRotary.org.
Alexis Bailly Vineyard, Minnesota’s oldest winery, lies in the lush Upper Mississippi River Valley. Founded in 1973, this small family-owned vineyard and winery near Hastings has won national acclaim for its table wines, thus earning Minnesota unlikely fame in in the wine drinking world.
Nan has been the winemaker at Alexis Bailly Vineyard for 35 years, starting with her apprenticeship in the Loire Valley in France where she first learned her craft. Her winemaking experiences have been honed by stints in the Cotes du Rhone of southern France and in the Finger Lakes of upstate New York, all leading back to Minnesota where she carries on the romantic notion of making wines in the world’s most difficult wine making region.
Nov 30 Speaker: Nan Bailly, Alexis Bailly Vineyard Proprietor
Eat, Drink and Be Merry! Registration is closed. The Rotary Club of Edina Holiday Cocktail Party is right around the corner! The annual holiday gathering will be Thursday, Dec. 14, starting at 5:30 p.m. Join your fellow Rotarians and their significant others for hearty appetizers and a cash bar at the Edina Country Club.
Cost for the party is $23 for guests, senior active or honorary Rotarians. Guests and senior actives will be billed on the January 2024 quarterly invoice. ECC requires attendance estimates for this event.
Chairing the party this year is Social Service Director, Kayla Beehler. Let her know if you have questions or check for last minute cancellations.
ASSEMBLY TABLE SET UP, BASKET COMPLETION CHECK, ASSISTANCE LOADING VEHICLES, AND TEAR DOWN HELP WILL BE WELCOMED. Wednesday, November 27, 11:30 am to 1:30 pm members of the Rotary Club of Edina and Edina Morningside Rotary Club, will prepare and deliver Thanksgiving meals to 85 local families in need. A roasted turkey, stuffing, cranberries, potatoes and gravy along with vegetables, oranges, even a delicious pie, make their way to area homes via active Rotarians and their families. With a side of warm knit mittens to help with the coming winter, these Thanksgiving Baskets bring some brightness and joy into the holiday season.
At the moment we have filled all the delivery positions, but we can always use help, especially in the areas of set up and tear down of the assembly tables. Please email Tom Cook at thomascook12@me.com and let him know if your haven't registered and are interested in helping in these areas.
On Wednesday, November 22, members of the Rotary Club of Edina, along with members of the Edina Morningside Rotary Club, will prepare and deliver Thanksgiving meals to families in need throughout the Twin Cities region. A roasted turkey, stuffing, cranberries, potatoes and gravy along with vegetables, oranges, even a delicious pie, make their way to area homes via active Rotarians and their families. With a side of warm knit mittens to help with the coming winter, these Thanksgiving Baskets bring some brightness and joy into the holiday season.
Look for further details, your invitation to sign up and safety procedures delivered to your email this week. Two different team captains (1 per station) may sign up for each 5 minute assembly period. Registration is now closed for team assembly and delivery. Please let Becci Michalski at rmichalski@edinarotary.org know if you need you'd like to attend lunch.
Five area high school students won scholarships during CampEnterprise earlier this month.
Camp Enterprise, organized by the Rotary Club of Edina and Edina-Morningside Rotary Club, provides high school students with a unique opportunity to learn about leadership, business and the free enterprise system.
During the three-day autumn camp Nov. 2-4, presentations were made by business executives and entrepreneurs who shared their experiences with the students and answered questions about a variety of fields and interests. In addition, students participated in a series of customized teambuilding experiences. The students broke into teams and focused a majority of their time at camp on a business case study which culminated in team presentations.
Karl grew up within a family that valued hard work and a can-do attitude as two important instruments in the toolbox of life. He has implemented lessons learned from his family to his real passion, small business. For the last 20 years, he has been the co-owner of Cooks of Crocus Hill. Cooks is a brand driven, independent specialty culinary retailer and educator grounded in the belief that Life Happens in the Kitchen. In addition to a myriad of "Best of" Award designations, Cooks has been the recipient of the Global Innovator Award from the International Housewares Association.
Thursday, Nov 16, 2023, 5:30-7pm. REGISTERHERE In partnership with Tomme Beevas and Pimentos Jamaican Kitchen, Black Business Networking will encourage us to continue to expand the efforts of our club's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. The 2023 networking event will be held Thursday, November 16 from 5:30-7pm at Pimento Jamaican Kitchen, 2524 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404. This week's featured business leader is Frank Brown, owner of Minuteman Press in Uptown and community advocate for racial, social and economic justice. See additional information below.
Prospective Member Day - Guest Lunch is on the Club!
Former Duluth News Tribune crime reporter Gail Feichtinger brings readers behind the scenes of Minnesota’s most infamous double murder. They frankly discuss their successes and failures in order to explain how a man who claimed innocence was convicted of two counts of murder and later confessed to the crimes—only to be set free. Feichtinger then reaches beyond the Glensheen killings to follow Marjorie through her convictions for arson and other crimes, presenting evidence that suggests she may have gotten away with murder—five times.
MEETING LOCATION - The District Edina!! Next Vocation/Avocation Happy Hour is Wednesday, November 1, 2023. 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. including drinks and snacks You will have the opportunity to meet and greet Edina Morningside Rotarian, Kelly Tanke Kirk. Kelly is an accomplished mortgage advisor with a passion for empowering families to achieve their financial goals. Since 2017, she has been a prominent figure in the mortgage industry, guiding individuals, and families toward a brighter financial future. Join us at The District Edina, 7777 Washington Ave, Suite 201, Edina MN 55439. Cost to attend is a $20.00 donation for food and beverages.
Jewelie has been a member of the Minneapolis City of Lakes Rotary Club since 2005 and is also an associate member of the Rotary eClub of Global Travelers. Jewelie is honored to be the 2023-24 District Governor for Rotary District 5950.
MEETING DATE ADDED. Meeting held at South Metro Public Safety Training Facility, 7525 Braemar Blvd., 12:15 p.m. Registration for this meeting is closed. Election season is underway for many communities across Minnesota and the Twin Cities. In Edina, residents will elect school board members, and will also decide whether to approve a local option sales tax referendum. Meet at the South Metro Public Safety Training Facility, 7525 Braemar Blvd., 12:15 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12, for boxed lunches and a presentation. Registration for this event is closed. Read more below for details.
Over the course of several meetings a diverse group of Edina Rotary Club members met, discussed and formulated the Rotary Club of Edina, Strategic Vision 2023-2028. Briefly, this vision statement provides the club and foundation's Mission Statement, Vision Statement, Values, Membership, International Service, Community Service, Youth Service, Club Service, Vocational Service, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Financial Strength, and Leadership Development strategic goals. The document in its entirety can be view HERE. If you have any questions, please speak with a standing board member or committee director. A link to this document can also be found on the Rotary Club of Edina home page under Membership, Strategic Vision Statement.
Steve Grove is CEO and Publisher of Star Tribune. Previously, he was Gov. Tim Walz’s commissioner of employment and economic development, where he led the administration’s efforts to grow and protect the Minnesota economy and its workers through a dynamic and challenging four years in state history. Prior to that, Grove spent 12 years as an executive at Alphabet’s Google and most recently was the founding director of the Google News Lab, which was developed to help media companies and startups drive innovation in the news industry.
Thursday, Sept 21, 2023, 5:30-7pm. REGISTERHERE In partnership with Tomme Beevas and Pimentos Jamaican Kitchen, Black Business Networking will encourage us to continue to expand the efforts of our club's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. The 2023 networking event will be held Thursdays September 21 and November 16 from 5:30-7pm at Pimento Jamaican Kitchen, 2524 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404. This week's featured business leader is Micone Kuykindall is a Master Locktician, Urban Farmer, and Hip Hop Enthusiast in Minneapolis.
Rotary Community Core@Lake Street was recently chosen as a Here Is Mpls honoree for civic engagement.
Rotary Community Core@Lake Street is a hyper-local project that emerged to revitalize the businesses damaged during the uprising that followed the murder of George Floyd. Eight Rotary Clubs, including the Rotary Club of Edina and the Rotary Club of Edina-Morningside, support businesses along Lake Street. Long-term, the goal is to build community trust and business growth in the neighborhood.
Rotary Club of Edina Past President Joe Hayes recently recognized a Rotarian for outstanding service to the club and community. John Buttolph was named “Rotarian of the Year.”
Shelly Loberg was recently inducted as President of the Rotary Club of Edina.
Loberg is the current Vice President of the Edina Chamber of Commerce and Explore Edina (the visitors bureau for the community) and joined Rotary in 2015. She became actively involved on the Club Board of Directors in 2017 as the International Service Director and served three years in that position before beginning her leadership journey in 2020. Loberg is most passionate about Rotary's international impact in developing countries and has both authored and co-authored several global and district Rotary grants aiding moms and babies in both Guatemala and Zimbabwe. She is looking forward to helping fellow members find their passion in Rotary to increase engagement and beginning several new international projects.
Kate Roberts loves a good story--a perspective she brings to her work as Senior Exhibit Developer at the Minnesota Historical Society. She and her colleagues have produced tons of story-rich, visitor-centered exhibits for MNHS’s flagship museum and for its network of historic sites. She was the lead developer for The Life and Art of Charles M. Schulz, currently on view at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul.
Kate holds a PhD in Art History from the University of Minnesota. She is a frequent lecturer on museum studies history and practice, and a regular presenter at professional conferences. She is the author of numerous journal articles as well as the books Minnesota 150: The People, Places, and Things That Shape Our State (St. Paul: MNHS Press, 2007) and Toys of the ‘50s, ‘60s, and ’70s (co-authored with Adam Scher; St. Paul: MNHS Press, 2014).
Kate lives in St. Paul. In her free time she walks along the Mississippi River--with or without her dog--putters in her garden, and plays the flute in her community band.
Aug 10 Speaker: Kate Roberts, MN Historical Society
Frank Bures is the author of The Geography of Madness, which Newsweek called one of the best travel books of the decade, editor of Under Purple Skies: The Minneapolis Anthology. He has written more than 200 articles for Rotary Magazine, including more than a decade of "Culture" columns, which are collected in The Shape of the World: Essays on Travel, Culture and Belief from Rotary Magazine.
His work has appeared in Harper's, the Washington Post Magazine, Outside, Bicycling and other places. His stories have also been included in the Best American Travel Writing twice, and selected as "Notable" stories for the Best American Sports Writing, Essays and Travel Writing seventeen times.
He speaks Swahili, Italian and a few other languages less well and lives in Minneapolis with his wife and two daughters.
Aug 3 Speaker: Frank Bures, RI Magazine Contributor
The Rotary Club of Edina held its transition meeting of the 2022–2023 Rotary year, June 29. The presidency of the club transferred from Joe Hayes to Shelly Loberg at the meeting. Shelly officially took over as the 69th president of the Rotary Club of Edina on July 1. Incoming President Loberg outlined her goals for the new Rotary year, and unveiled the 2023-2024 Rotary theme, "Create Hope in the World." "Read More" for further details and check out the pictures under the "In Review" caption.
Shayla Reaves joined WCCO in December 2020 as an anchor and reporter, contributing to the morning and mid-morning, and anchoring noon newscast.
A graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, she was named the top broadcast student in her graduating class.
Before moving to the Twin Cities, Shayla worked in Greenville, N.C. where she co-anchored evening news- casts for WNCT-TV (CBS). In Tampa, Fla. she served as a field reporter for the market's #1 rated morning show, "Good Day Tampa Bay" where she spent four years covering breaking news, hurricanes and news overnight.
In 2003, Kim Valentini stepped away from a career as a corporate public relations and marketing executive to evaluate what was missing in her life. Fueled by a desire to find meaning and to be a voice for women and children, she launched a 5-hour a week “service project” that would quickly become a global force. Twenty years later Kim’s “project”, Smile Network International, has resulted in the presence of 24 medical surgical sites in 13 countries, on 5 continents. More than 4,500 children have received the gift of a life-altering surgery as a result of the work of the organization she founded. Here is the link to Smile Network International for additional information https://www.smilenetwork.org
JUNE 29 LAST DAY TO DONATE!Give your money to Raj or Becci. This year there is a challenge between The Rotary Club of Edina and Edina Morningside Rotary Club to see which club will get the highest percentage of members to donate $25 or more to The Rotary Foundation. We would like to get 100% participation during this campaign and show EMRC we are the "Best Club in the Universe". Please Read More on how you can participate.
Twenty-six students are set to graduate from Edina High School as Rotary Global Scholars.
The Rotary Global Scholars program, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Edina and the Edina Education Fund, was designed to help students develop global competency skills, prepare for a global career, develop understanding of world issues and learn to apply academic content to solve social and global issues.
The Rotary Club of Edina recently presented three scholarships to deserving students at Edina High School.
The Rotary Club of Edina presents $1,500 scholarships to graduating Edina seniors who exemplify the Rotary motto of “Service Above Self” and have participated in Rotary programs such as Camp Enterprise, Camp RYLA, fall ethics seminar, Vocational Ethics Day, youth exchange, Edina Rotary Global Scholars or the Interact Club of Edina. This year’s scholarships were presented to Abid Hassan (pictured) and Elodie Jones. The Rotary Club of Edina also provides a $1,000 renewable scholarship to a graduating senior who is completing the Edina Rotary Global Scholars program. Rowan Ungerman (pictured) received that scholarship.
MEETING LOCATION - The District Edina!! Next Vocation/Avocation Happy Hour is Wednesday, August 2, 2023. 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. including drinks and snacks on the District patio with indoor seating if the weather is having a moment. You will have the opportunity to meet and greet Julie Westbrock. As the Vice President of Business Development for Trust Point, Inc., Julie’s job might sound boring, but it definitely is not. She’ll describe and tell stories about the fascinating world of trusts and estates from the perspective of a professional fiduciary. Julie is a member of the Edina Rotary club. Join us at The District Edina, 7777 Washington Ave, Suite 201, Edina MN 55439. Cost to attend is a $20.00 donation for food and beverages.
Registration Closed. Check with Kayla for cancellations. The picnic will take the place of our May 30 noon Rotary meeting. This is a catered event and registration is closed. There is no additional cost to members (this event is included with quarterly meeting fees). Attending senior active, family members and guests cost $20 per person. Children 6 to 16 are $12 per child. Children 5 and under are free. Guest fees will be charged to the member's July 2024 invoice. REGISTER you and your guests HERE
Thousands of children and adults in remote villages of Tanzania will see a brighter future with improved access to medical eye care examinations, screenings and provision of prescription eyeglasses, thanks to a $20,000 humanitarian grant project sponsored by the Rotary Club of Edina with support of local clubs in Rotary District 5950, Dodoma (Tanzania) Rotary Club and Tanzania Health Partners.
The Rotary Club of Edina Spring Fireside Chat schedule will begin Tuesday, May 14. Club member hosted these small and casual social gatherings give experienced and freshman Rotarians the opportunity to get to know each other and learn about Rotary. Usually held in the host member's home as a come and go timed gathering, it's a nice way to conversationally and personally connect with your fellow Rotary friends. You're invited to attend all the scheduled chats or pick one that works best with your schedule. To allow the host to prepare, please register for each gathering you plan to attend. Please let Kayla Beehler know if you any questions or would like to be added to the Spring or Fall Fireside host schedule.
The schedule is:
Tuesday, May 14th from 5:00-7:30pm: Kelley Burnett Home
Thursday, May 16th from 6:00-8:30pm: Joe Hayes House
Wednesday, May 22nd from 6:00 to 8:30 pm: John Buttolph Home
The Rotary Club of Edina’s Board of Directors recently approved the following applicants below for membership:
Tanwi Prigge
India Association of Minnesota (IAM)
Classification: Non-Profit Leadership
Sponsor: Michael Stanzak
Alexandra Patty
Edina Lifestyle Magazine
Classification: Publisher
Sponsor: Kelley Burnett
Written objections to the application must be submitted before Midnight, Tuesday, August 1, 2023, to Rotary Club of Edina, PO Box 24481, Edina, MN 55424 or emailed to administrator@EdinaRotary.org.
MEETING LOCATION - The District Edina!! Next Vocational Mixer formerly known as Vocational/Avocation Happy Hour is Wednesday, Dec 6, 2023. 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. meet and greet. Our speaker will be Stephen Carlton, PPC, Owner, CEO & President of Carlton Investment Services Group. He helps his clients pursue their goals by planning for the future and managing assets from their 20's through their retirement years. His investment strategy focuses on long-term, well diversified investment programs. His clients range from young professionals and families to high net worth individuals, including business owners and retirees. Steve is a member of the Edina Rotary Club. Join us at The District Edina, 7777 Washington Ave, Suite 201, Edina MN 55439. Cost to attend is a $10.00 food/$20 for food and beverages.
Speaker: Dr. Jamal Adam, 826 MSP Next Vocation/Avocation Happy Hour is Wednesday, October 4, 2023, 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. meet and greet. Our speaker and host will be Jamal Adam, 826 MSP, Executive Director. 826 MSP amplifies the voices, stories, and power of K-12 BIPOC students through writing, publishing, and leadership programs. Read more below or click HERE. Dr. Adam is a member of the Edina Rotary Noon club. Join us at The District Edina, 7777 Washington Ave, Suite 201, Edina MN 55439. Cost to attend is a $20.00 donation for food and beverages.
MEETING LOCATION - The District Edina!! Next Vocation/Avocation Happy Hour is Wednesday, Sept 6, 2023. 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. meet and greet. Our speaker will be Jack Lee, Executive Director of Voyageur Outward Bound School. VOBS is a non-profit using wilderness trips to help people see their true potential for character, leadership and service. Jack is a member of the Edina Morningside Rotary club. Join us at The District Edina, 7777 Washington Ave, Suite 201, Edina MN 55439. Cost to attend is a $20.00 donation for food and beverages.
THIS WEEK - Thursday, May 18, 5:30-7pm. In partnership with Tomme Beevas and Pimentos Jamaican Kitchen, Black Business Networking will encourage us to continue to expand the efforts of our club's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. The 2023 networking event will be held Thursdays Jan 19, Mar 16, May 18 from 5:30-7pm at Pimento Jamaican Kitchen, 2524 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404. This week's featured business leader is Damon Jenkins, Senior Vice-President and Twin Cities Regional Market President for First Independence Bank (bio below). Click HERE for a Kare11 interview and background on First Independence Bank. Meeting details are:
5:30-6:00 Social & networking time — the rum punch will be flowing! 6:00-6:15 Introductions around the room, including each attendee's business background 6:15-6:45 Featured Black Entrepreneur presents their business story to the group 6:45-7:00 Q &A session and wrap up
We need six volunteers for the May 17, 2023 bag pack event. This will be our last VEAP packing event for the Rotary year. Please sign up for the next event to be held Wednesday, May 17 to help Volunteers Enlisted to Assist People (VEAP) pack food bags for local school children who go hungry over the weekends during the school year. Volunteers from the Rotary Club of Edina are needed for afternoon shifts at VEAP, 9600 Aldrich Ave., Bloomington, every other month July 2022 through June 2023. Shifts run from 2:15 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. A minimum of five volunteers per shift are needed. Sign upHERE.
Volunteer Dates for the year and further details below:
The foundation of the Rotary Club of Edina recently awarded a grant of $3,000 to Breanna’s Gift.
Breanna’s Gift is an arts program that brings the joy of dance, visual arts, music and performing arts to children facing cancer and other serious illnesses. In-person classes are offered at Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare in St. Paul and Children’s Minnesota in Minneapolis. Art Takeout is used at many children’s hospitals and healthcare facilities, including Mayo Eugenio Litta Children’s Hospital in Rochester and Crescent Cove children’s hospice in Brooklyn Park.
The foundation of the Rotary Club of Edina recently awarded a grant of $2,500 to Assistance League of Minneapolis/St. Paul.
Assistance League of Minneapolis/St. Paul is an all-volunteer community nonprofit organization whose member volunteers feed and clothe children, enhance and enrich education and support and serve the Twin Cities area. Assistance League’s primary focus is to move low-income Twin Cities students forwarded by helping to meet basic needs.
The foundation of the Rotary Club of Edina recently awarded a grant of $4,000 to Athletes Committed to Educating Students (ACES).
In partnership with Minnesota’s professional and collegiate sports teams, ACES specifically serves middle schoolers and focuses on the development of math and social-emotional skills. ACES programming is offered in nine schools in Minneapolis, St. Paul and Northfield.
Application Deadline: April 15. The Rotary Club of Edina seeks nominees for the 16th-annual“Chrysanne Manoles Women In Leadership Award.”
Nominees cannot be current Rotarians and must live, work or volunteer in Edina. Female nominees must demonstrate Rotary’s “Four Way Test” of the things we think, say or do: Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
To nominate a woman for the prestigious award, submit a one- or two-page letter explaining how the person demonstrates the Four Way Test and what she does in the community outside of any professional position she holds. Letters should be sent to jbennerotte@EdinaRotary.org or Rotary Club of Edina, 4801W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424. Letters must be postmarked by Saturday, April 15.
An Edina Rotarian who leads the Edina Rotary Global Scholars program at Edina High School was named the 2023 AFS-USA Global Educator of the Year.
AFS-USA, the largest partner in a worldwide network of non-profit, volunteer-based international education organizations, recently announced Lindsey Smaka, a science and teacher and a global studies leader at Edina High School, earned the award.
MEETING LOCATION - The District Edina!! Next Vocation/Avocation Happy Hour is Wednesday, April 5, 2023. 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. meet and greet. Our speaker and host will be Ted Goltzman, Commonwealth Development Corporation Vice President of Development. He works with local and state agencies, community partners and private lenders and investors to develop affordable housing facilitating all aspects of the development process from site selection, financial structuring, construction, and project lease-up. Read more below or click HERE. Ted is a member of the Edina Morningside Rotary club. Join us at The District Edina, 7777 Washington Ave, Suite 201, Edina MN 55439. Cost to attend is a $15.00 donation for food and beverages.
MEETING LOCATION - The District Edina!! Next Vocation/Avocation Happy Hour is Wednesday, March 1, 2023. 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. meet and greet. Our speaker and host will be C-Vision owner, Chris Laskowski. C-Vision is a video production business that creates marketing and training videos, documentaries, drone photography and live performance video recordings. Chris is a 20-month member of the Edina Rotary Noon club serving on the Public Relations and Club Administration committees. Read More for Chris's bio and join us at The District Edina, 7777 Washington Ave, Suite 201, Edina MN 55439. Cost to attend is a $15.00 donation for food and beverages.
The Edina Chamber of Commerce and the City of Edina present our annual State of City in partnership with the Rotary Club of Edina and the Rotary Club of Edina Morningside. Edina Mayor James B. Hovland and Edina Public Schools Superintendent Stacie Stanley will address city issues and present upcoming plans.
The presentation will be emceed by City Manager Scott Neal and will be recorded and later broadcast on Edina TV.
For additional details, click HERE If you plan to attend as a non-lunching guest - please contact Caitlyn@edina.org for registration.
We need FIVE volunteer to fill the roster for January 18. HELP we lost our sign up sheet to a computer glitch. Please sign up today to help Volunteers Enlisted to Assist People (VEAP) pack food bags for local school children who go hungry over the weekends during the school year. Volunteers from the Rotary Club of Edina are needed for afternoon shifts at VEAP, 9600 Aldrich Ave., Bloomington, every other month July 2022 through June 2023. Shifts run from 2:15 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. A minimum of five volunteers per shift are needed. Sign up HERE.
Volunteer Dates for the year and further details below:
MEETING LOCATION - The District Edina!!REGISTER HERE Next Vocational Mixer formerly known as Vocational/Avocation Happy Hour is Wednesday, Feb 7, 2024. 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. meet and greet. Our speaker will be Sofia Thu Pham. She and her family immigrated to the United States from Vietnam in 1979, becoming proud US citizens. With 20 years of professional real estate expertise, her journey began even earlier as she assisted her father in procuring real estate investment properties before becoming a licensed agent. Sofia is a member of the Edina Morningside Rotary Club. Join us at The District Edina, 7777 Washington Ave, Suite 201, Edina MN 55439. Cost to attend is a $10.00 food/$20 for food and beverages. Reserve your spot today HERE.
MEETING LOCATION - The District Edina!! Next Vocation/Avocation Happy Hour is Wednesday, February 1, 2023. 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. meet and greet. Our speaker and host will be Habitation Furnishing + Design founder and host, Gregory Rich. Greg is a member of the Edina Rotary Noon club, radio/podcast celebrity, innovator of style and unpredictably witty. Come and join us at The District Edina, 7777 Washington Ave, Suite 201, Edina MN 55439. Cost to attend is a $15.00 donation for food and beverages.
PLEASE READ! During our December 8, 2022 meeting, members of the Rotary Club of Edina will have the opportunity to vote in the election of eight open board member positions. It's important we have a strong attendance of members present to vote, so please plan to attend the Dec. 8 meeting for at least the first 20 minutes to participate in the election. Per our club by-laws, we need 54 members to participate in the election of next year's incoming officers.
The Rotary Club of Edina’s Board of Directors recently approved the applicant below for membership:
Randy Scharpen
Classification: Moving Company
Sponsor: Lisa Walker
Written objections to the application must be submitted before 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, November 2, 2022, to Rotary Club of Edina, PO Box 24481, Edina, MN 55424 or emailed to administrator@EdinaRotary.org.
General admission tickets may still be available for "The Peterson Family Christmas - Twas the Jam Before Christmas" at the Dakota on Sunday, December 18 at 7:00 PM. Call Dakota box office at 612-332-5299.
What: The Peterson Family Christmas
Save the Date: Sunday, Dec. 18, 7:00 PM
Where: Dakota Jazz Club
Tickets: Reserved block of 32 tickets
Call to Dakota to Reserve: 612-332-5299 M-F 10 to 6 Sa/Su 12-4 // Mention Edina Rotary block of tickets
The Edina Rotary Foundation is accepting applications from nonprofit organizations in Edina and its contiguous communities for grants to be used for capital purchases. Applications are due November 15.
Each year, the Rotary Club of Edina raises money at 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.
The Foundation’s Community Service – Local Funding Committee favors grant requests for projects that are tangible and self-perpetuating, will be completed in Edina or a bordering community, create partnerships with other organizations, provide benefits to many and can be leveraged over time.
After a grant application is submitted, it is assigned to a member of the committee for review. The committee makes recommendations to the Foundation’s Board of Directors, which makes the final decision on all awards. Award are expected to be made early next year.
Grant applications are available online at www.EdinaRotary.org or by contacting Director Ryan Wilson, ryan.wilson@tradition.bank or 952-806-6786. Completed applications should be completed online or emailed to Wilson.
The Rotary Club of Edina’s Board of Directors recently approved the applicants below for membership:
Todd Milburn
Classification: Law Enforcement
Sponsor: Shelly Loberg
Vinita Steffl
Classification: Commercial Real Estate
Sponsor: Erica Allenburg
Julianne Cords
Classification: Banking - Business Development
Sponsor: Lisa Walker
Written objections to any of the applications must be submitted before 4:30 p.m. October 4, 2022, to Rotary Club of Edina, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424 or emailed to administrator@EdinaRotary.org.
Next Event - Thursday, Sept 22, 5:30-7pm. In partnership with Tomme Beevas and Pimentos Jamaican Kitchen, the next monthly Black Business Networking event will encourage us to continue to expand the efforts of our club's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee .This networking event will be held monthly on the fourth Thursday of each month from 5:30-7pm at Pimento Jamaican Kitchen, 2524 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404. For meeting agenda, speaker bio and details, click "Read More".
The Rotary Clubs of Edina and Edina Morningside are hosting a race and equity series with the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.
The second part of the series, “Leading Diverse Organizations,” will be held 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6, at the Edina Country Club, 5100 Wooddale Ave. Tiffani Daniels and Ron Feldman will lead a discussion on the business case for diversity in the workplace. For speaker information and further details click below. Register HERE.
The Rotary Club of Edina recently presented scholarships to deserving graduates of Edina High School.
The Rotary Club of Edina presents scholarships to graduating Edina seniors who exemplify the Rotary motto of “Service Above Self” and have participated in Rotary programs such as Camp Enterprise, Camp RYLA, fall ethics seminar, Vocational Ethics Day, youth exchange, Edina Rotary Global Scholars or the Interact Club of Edina.
The club presented $1,500 scholarships to Eleanor Karthaus and Olivia Tran and a four-year renewable $1,000 scholarship to Kate Brown. All three women are Edina Rotary Global Scholars.
The Rotary Club of Edina will host the fourth-annual Edina Car Show noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, at Southdale Center.
The Edina Car Show will be held rain or shine in the parking lot in front of the old Herberger’s store. The family-friendly event will feature some of the best collector cars in Minnesota, including classic, vintage and exotic. Key Cadillac, the dealer sponsor of the event, will also have new models on display. Restrooms and food are available inside the shopping mall.
Guatemala and Zimbabwe, Africa, lie oceans and continents apartfrom each other – and Minnesota. But thanks to the global reach of Rotary International, its local and area clubs and non-profit partners, both countries are now better equipped to provide maternal health and wellness of newborn babies and children. Hospitals in both countries this summer received containers of essential medical equipment for infant delivery, and Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, also received supplies to create a sustainable farm garden to combat malnutrition. A $210,000 international grant, originating and managed by the Rotary Club of Edina, made these projects possible.
Edina Rotarian Tim Murphy was recently awarded the Regional Service Award for a Polio Free World for 2021-2022 by Rotary International in recognition of significant active personal service toward the goal of polio eradication. He was one of only eight Rotarians or Rotaractors worldwide to receive this competitive award.
Rotary Club of Edina President Michael Stanzak recently recognized two Rotarians for outstanding service to the club and community. Katy Koch Campbell and Ryan Wilson were each named “Rotarian of the Year.”
Joe Hayes was recently inducted as President of the Rotary Club of Edina. An Edina native and 1980 graduate of Edina East High School, Hayes is a Manufacturer Representative of sustainable food packaging for D.C. Brown, Inc. He and his wife, Kris, live in Excelsior and have two adult daughters, Kelly and Lauren. Hayes has been a member of the Rotary Club of Edina since 2000 and held many roles. A Multiple Paul Harris Fellow, Hayes says his most rewarding work has been in youth service, helping with Ethics Day, Camp Enterprise and STRIVE, in particular. Hayes credits his years in Rotary to expanding his network and making him a better person with the purpose of “Service Above Self.”
Mike believes, “It’s more than what we accomplish – it’s who we become along the journey!” His mission is to Lift Others, helping people discover their potential, embrace a growth mindset and achieve at inspired levels. Mike has transformed businesses and inspired people to perform at levels they didn’t think possible. Click "Read More" and visit www.mjvacanti.com and www.humansfirst.club for more information on this dynamic speaker and presentation.
If you love being in a parade, join us on Monday, July 4th. The two Edina Rotary clubs are uniting to walk and hand out mini American flags with our logo on it. “Louise,” the classic Stanzak Bicentennial El Dorado convertible, will be escorting new President Joe Hayes and his wife Kris. Kids are welcome! Wear your Rotary apparel. Sign up with Katy Campbell, Public Image director.
The June 23 meeting was our club and foundation's board transition meeting. 2021-2022 President Michael Stanzak handed over the gavel to 2022-2023 President Joe Hayes. The program reflected on and celebrated the 2021-2022 club and foundation achievements. Awards were presented to those board and committee members who have fulfilled their service term: Bridget Hallstrom, Membership; Susan Johnson, Social, Lisa Walker, Community Projects, Ann Platt, Director-at-Large, Sam Thompson, Board Officer. Rotarian of the Year awards were received by Ryan Wilson, Community Local Grants and Katy Campbell, Public Image Director. There will be an opportunity to welcome and get to know our incoming 2022-2023 board and committee members at the next Rotary Club of Edina meeting on Thursday, July 7, 2022 at the Edina Country Club.
Topic: Enriching Lives by Helping People Make Music
Schmitt Music recently welcomed the fifth generation into the family-run business with two great-great grandsons of the founder Paul A. Schmitt joining the company! Peter Schmitt, son of Tom Schmitt, started in 2014 and soon led the development of the company's Orchestral Strings Division. In 2016, Ted Schmitt, son of VP and Co-owner Doug Schmitt, joined the company. After several roles in the company, Ted now serves as VP, Financing and Analytics. For additional details, click Read More.
Rotary Club of Edina Family Picnicis set for Wednesday, June 29 at Centennial Lakes Parlor Room, 7499 France Ave South, Edina, 55435. 952-833-9583. The picnic will take the place of our regular Rotary meeting that week. The event will begin at 4:30 p.m. and go until 7:30 p.m. Register yourself, family and friends. Cost is $20 for Senior Active and Honorary Rotarians, as well as adult guests. Kids ages 6-18 are $12. Children 5 and under are free. For regular members, the cost of the picnic is already included in your quarterly dues.
REGISTER HERE - Don't forget to register family and guests.
The caterers the year will be Pimentos Jamaican Kitchen who will be providing a fantastic menu of jerk chicken and a variety of sides. A complete beverage selection of red and white wine will be provided as well as domestic and premium beer. Soda, water and non-alcoholic beverages will be available as well.
The 2022 Chrysanne Manoles Women In Leadership Award will be presented this Thursday, June 9, at the Rotary Club of Edina meeting at the Edina Country Club. This is the thirteenth Women in Leadership Award given, named after Chrysanne Manoles, the first female member of our club. She is still active in Rotary today. In Manoles’ honor and to celebrate the work of women in the community, the Rotary Club of Edina established an annual women’s leadership award in 2008.
The speaker will be the 2021 Women in Leadership Award winner, Melody Zhou.
For more on the award and this week's speaker, click on the link below...
Twenty-three students are set to graduate from Edina High School as Rotary Global Scholars.
The Rotary Global Scholars program, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Edina and the Edina Education Fund, was designed to help students develop global competency skills, prepare for a global career, develop understanding of world issues and learn to apply academic content to solve social and global issues.
To see the complete press release in pdf, click HERE
The Rotary Club of Edina will host a race and equity series with the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.
The first part of the series, “Building An Inclusive Economy In Minnesota” will be held 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, June 2, at the Edina Country Club, 5100 Wooddale Ave. Alene Tchourumoff, Senior Vice President of Community Development and the Center for Indian Country Development for the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, will give the keynote address and moderate a panel on the topic.
As a youth and teen, Darryl Landstrom pursued his athletic passion at Chester Bowl, both as a ski jumper and nordic combined skier. But when an injury sidelined him from competition at the age of 21, he turned his attention to volunteering, primarily in support of junior alpine ski racing in the then U.S. Ski Association’s Central Division.
His leadership skills and motivation to help youth ultimately saw him lead alpine sport committees in Central Division, Rocky/Central Region and today as the national Alpine Sport Committee chair and a member of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Board of Directors.
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.
Isaac Orr is a Policy Fellow at Center of the American Experiment, where he writes about energy and environmental issues, including mining and electricity policy.
Isaac has written extensively on hydraulic fracturing, frac sand mining and electricity policy, among other energy and environmental issues. His writings have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, the New York Post, The Hill, Orange County Register, The Washington Times, and many other publications.
The Edina Rotary Foundation is accepting applications from nonprofit organizations in Edina and its contiguous communities for grants to be used for capital purchases. Applications are due Nov. 15.
Grant applications are available online at www.EdinaRotary.org or by contacting Director Ryan Wilson, ryan.wilson@tradition.bank or 952-806-6786. Completed applications should be completed online or emailed to Wilson. For additional details and recent grant recipients, click Read More.
The foundation of the Rotary Club of Edina recently awarded a grant of $2,000 to Pillsbury United Communities.
Beginning in 1879 with Minneapolis’ first settlement house, Pillsbury United Communities co-creates enduring change toward a just society. Built with and for historically marginalized and underinvested groups across the community, Pillsbury United’s system of programs, neighborhood centers and social enterprises connects more than 55,000 people and their families each year. The organization is guided by a vision of thriving communities where every person has personal, social and economic power.
The annual Area 3 Rotary Veterans Luncheon is set for Thursday, Nov. 11, at Edina Country Club. Doors open and registration begins at 11 a.m. with live music and the luncheon and program begins at 11:15 and concluding by 1:15 p.m. If you would like to be a part of the program via ZOOM, click HERE for access to the meeting.
REGISTRATION IS CLOSED - Contact Joe Hayes or Becci Michalski to check availability.
If you are not a veteran, but will be attending the meeting, please check with Joe Hayes or Becci Michalski to check availability. Accurate attendance counts are critical due to the high interest in the program.
Wednesday, November 3, we will be gathering together for live meetings held 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. No registration is necessary, just show up. Gay Clapp is a member of the noon Edina Rotary Club and a colleague at Twin Cities Legal Service, PLLC. Gay's practice focus is in the area of wills, estates and trusts.
Please feel free to extend an invitation to friends, prospective members, as well as members from other clubs. We hope you will join us for this great opportunity to have a lot of fun while getting to know your fellow Rotarians better. Don't be afraid to come "rub shoulders with people of significance."
The Rotary Club of Edina’s Board of Directors recently approved the applicant below for membership:
John Buttolph
Classification: Community Advocacy
Sponsor: Michael Stanzak
Randy Smasal
Classification: Education
Sponsor: Lindsey Smaka
Written objections to the application must be submitted before 4:30 p.m. Thursday, September 30 to Rotary Club of Edina, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424 or emailed to administrator@EdinaRotary.org.
Wednesday, October 6 we will be gathering together for live meetings held 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. No registration is necessary, just show up. Sylvester Thomas of the Edina Noon Rotary Club will speak to managing financial services both at the personal production level as well as at the corporate management level.
Please feel free to extend an invitation to friends, prospective members, as well as members from other clubs. We hope you will join us for this great opportunity to have a lot of fun while getting to know your fellow Rotarians better. Don't be afraid to come "rub shoulders with people of significance."
The foundation of the Rotary Club of Edina recently awarded a grant of $3,000 to Edina Fire Department.
The Edina Fire Department used the grant to purchase an EleGARD, a device that is part of paramedics’ bundle to care to help increase positive outcomes after sudden cardiac arrest by decreasing intracranial pressure while increasing cerebral and coronary perfusion. This results in fewer neurological issues in survivors. With the Edina Rotary Foundation donation, the Edina Fire Department now has an EleGARD on each of its ambulances. Click READ MORE for additional details.
The Rotary Club of Edina will host the third-annual Edina Car Show noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, at Southdale Center.
The Edina Car Show will be held rain or shine in the parking lot in front of the old Herberger’s store. The family-friendly event will feature some of the best collector cars in Minnesota, including classic, vintage and exotic. Key Cadillac, the dealer sponsor of the event, will also have new models on display. Restrooms and food are available inside the shopping mall.
The event is free for spectators. Car owners can participate for $10 with advanced registration or $20 at the gate. Prizes will be awarded for the Top Five cars, as well as Best in Show (People’s Choice) and Best in Show (Owners’ Choice).
The Rotary Club of Edina organizes the Edina Car Show with support from the Northstar Cadillac Lasalle Club, Edina Chamber of Commerce, Explore Edina and Southdale Center. Besides Key Cadillac, sponsors are Josh Sprague – Lakes Sotheby’s International Realty, Grandview Tire & Auto, Tradition Mortgage and Stiles Financial Services.
All proceeds from the event will benefit the Edina Rotary Foundation.
Those interested in displaying their classic, vintage or exotic car or motorcycle, should visit EdinaCarShow.com for more information and to register. Car show parking and setup will take place 10 a.m. to noon the day of the event.
The Rotary Club of Edina meets Thursdays at 12:30 p.m. at the Edina Country Club, 5100 Wooddale Ave. Members can also participate via Zoom. For more information about the event, visit EdinaCarShow.com or contact Josh Sprague, 612-501-0252 or josh@joshsprague.com.
Rotary Club of Edina to Host Third-Annual Edina Car Show
The foundation of the Rotary Club of Edina recently awarded a grant of $2,500 to the Minneapolis chapter of Men Against Destruction (MAD DADS).
MAD DADS seeks to bring about positive change and encourages, motivates and guides people in the struggle to save children, communities and themselves from the social ills that plague neighborhoods. MAD DADS activities are designed to promote and demonstrate positive images of fathers engaging and protecting community, youth and families. Since 1998, MAD DADS has spent more than 1.5 million hours in the streets working to reduce violence.
The foundation of the Rotary Club of Edina recently awarded a grant of $2,500 to My Very Own Bed. Minneapolis-based My Very Own Bed provides beds to children throughout the Twin Cities metro area moving into stable housing. The grant will be used to support the purchase of 18 beds for children who would otherwise sleep on a floor or share a bed with a family member.
Rotary Club of Edina President Sam Thompson recently recognized five Rotarians for outstanding service to the club and community. Robb Breding, Catherine Gump, Don Hutchison, Lindsey Smaka and Sylvester Thomas were each named “Rotarian of the Year.
The Rotary Club of Edina recently presented a scholarship to a deserving graduate of Edina High School.
The Rotary Club of Edina presents scholarships to graduating Edina seniors who exemplify the Rotary motto of “Service Above Self” and have participated in Rotary programs such as Camp Enterprise, Camp RYLA, fall ethics seminar, Vocational Ethics Day, youth exchange, Edina Rotary Global Scholars or the Interact Club of Edina.
Michael Stanzak was recently inducted as President of the Rotary Club of Edina.
Stanzak is the Dealer Operator of Key Cadillac. He graduated from Edina West High School and studied accounting at the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire. He has been part of Key Cadillac, the family business, since 1990. Besides the Rotary Club of Edina, Stanzak has been on the board of directors of the Minnesota Automobile Dealers Association and the Greater Metropolitan Auto Dealer Association. He and his wife of 37 years, Janet, live in Chanhassen with their English Springer Spaniel, Marley. They have two grown children, Adam and Natalie.
“This year’s Rotary International theme is ‘Serve to Change Lives’ and we are committed to doing that through our many committees and volunteer projects,” Stanzak said. “Please consider attending one of the Rotary Club of Edina’s meetings to learn more and get involved in giving back to the community.”
The foundation of the Rotary Club of Edina recently awarded a grant of $2,500 to Oasis for Youth.
Oasis for Youth was created in 2010 by community members in response to the alarming rise in the number of suburban youth experiencing homelessness and the lack of any services designed to meet their needs in south suburban Hennepin County. Oasis for Youth was the first suburban drop-in center in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, focusing on youth who live, work or attend school in Edina, Bloomington and Richfield.
The Rotary Club of Edina recently presented two $1,500 scholarships to deserving students at Edina High School.
The Rotary Club of Edina presents scholarships to graduating Edina seniors who exemplify the Rotary motto of “Service Above Self” and have participated in Rotary programs such as Camp Enterprise, Camp RYLA, fall ethics seminar, Vocational Ethics Day, youth exchange, Edina Rotary Global Scholars or the Interact Club of Edina. This year’s scholarships were presented to Divya Danthuluri and Allison Koester.
"Read More" for the details of these amazing students.
The Rotary Club of Edina presented Melody Zhou with its 2021 Chrysanne Manoles Women In Leadership Award at its May 6 meeting.
Click "Read More" to get complete details on Ms. Zhou's nomination, her extensive involvement in our community and the historical significance of this award.
Understanding Alzheimer's and Dementia. Worldwide, 50 million people are living with Alzheimer's and other dementias. Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative brain disease and the most common form of dementia. Dementia is not a specific disease. It's an overall term that describes a group of symptoms. Understanding Alzheimer's and Dementia, outlines the difference between Alzheimer's and dementia, symptoms, stages, risk factors and more.
Sue joined the Alzheimer’s Association Minnesota-North Dakota Chapter as the chief executive officer in 2012, and became the Region 5 leader for the Association in January of 2017. Her Region includes Minnesota, North Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin. For two years in a row before COVID, the Chapter hosted the largest Walk to End Alzheimer’s® in the country, raising $1.7 million and The Purple Gala in the Twin Cities raised a record 1.1 million in 2019. Click "Read More" for additional information.
The Rotary Club of Edina will present the 12th-annual “Chrysanne Manoles Women In Leadership Award" at its May 6th meeting. In 1988, Rotary Club of Edina welcomed its first female member, Chrysanne Manoles and continues to be active in Rotary. In Manoles’ honor and to celebrate the work of women in the community, the Rotary Club of Edina established an annual women’s leadership award in 2008. Previous winners include Dr. Laurel Wills, Ann Byrne, Donna Tilsner, Katey Taylor, Kim Foote, Kris Marshall, Lauren Morse-Wendt, Lexi Reed Holtum, Hope Melton and Kathy Rendleman. Please join us in-person or via Zoom for this inspirational presentation. For details and additional information click "READ MORE" below.
Rotary International encourages regular “assemblies” to train, exchange ideas and celebrate accomplishments. Clubs are encouraged to have at least two per year to inform and excite Rotarians. The Rotary Club of Edina will hold one at its meeting Thursday, April 22.
Led by Past President Jennifer Bennerotte, the spring Club Assembly will focus on the Edina Rotary Foundation organization and goals, our committees, leadership development and more. Learn more about the club and its projects and processes. There will be time for discussion, questions and an exchange of ideas.
The Rotary Club of Edina meets at 12:15 p.m. Thursdays at the Edina Country Club. All are welcome, though this week's meeting is more specific to members of the Rotary Club. Cost for the meeting is $20 for adults, $12 for kids and will be billed to your next quarterly invoice.
"The City of Edina's Sustainability Division, Climate Action Plan, fits well with Rotary International's new seventh area of focus which is protecting our environment." says Sam Thompson, Rotary Club of Edina President. Click HERE to learn more about RI's areas of focus and scroll down to "Environmental Sustainability" under Protecting the Environment. To learn more and get the details about this important city project click READ MORE.
The Rotary Club of Edina Race & Equity Committee has announced the book club dates. They will be meeting via ZOOM at 5:15 p.m to 6:15 p.m. for five Wednesdays starting February 17, and continuing on March 3, March 17, March 31 and April 14. Please contact committee member, Jennifer Bennerotte at jbennerotte@EdinaRotary.org for Zoom link information.
Several organizations and groups across the country are reading White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk about Racism. The New York Times best-selling book explores the counterproductive reactions white people have when their assumptions about race are challenged, and how these reactions maintain racial inequality. Read More for additional details.
Mark your calendar on Mar. 16 to join The Rotary Club of Edina’s Leadership Series as we welcome Jean Morrison of Morrison and Associates, Inc. to share an interactive learning experience entitled “Let’s Work it Out… Resolving Conflict During Trying Times.” This session is open to the public so please forward this to your friends, colleagues, and employees so that can benefit as well. See you there!
Let’s Work it Out… Resolving Conflict During Trying Times
What to Expect:
Difficult and uncertain times put us at a higher risk of relationship tension, resulting in conflicts. We are shorter-fused, less tolerant, and therefore, more at risk of being hooked by our emotions. The use of self-control and other self-management techniques are important to calming our emotions and strengthening relationships. In this session participants will learn techniques to:
Increase self-awareness- Begin to understand your response to stress
Improve self-management- Learn techniques that work for you
Resolve conflict- Learn to understand and collaborate with others in conflict
David Schultz is a professor of political science at Hamline University, where he teaches American politics, and professor of law specializing in election law at the University of Minnesota Law School. In addition to election law, he is a national expert on professional ethics, state constitutional law, and eminent domain and land use law. He will give us an analysis of George Floyd, Covid-19 and the 2020 Presidential Election.
For more on the speaker, click on the link below...
President Sam Thompson called the Zoom club meeting of December 10, 2020 to order. During the business portion of the meeting, which served as the Club’s Annual Meeting Past President Josh Sprague presented the slate of nominees to serve on the Rotary Club of Edina Board of Directors, as selected by the Nominating Committee, to serve in the following capacities and terms:
Director Nominee List Ryan Wilson, Board of Director of Community Service Grants, 2-year term from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2023 Katy Campbell, Board of Director of Public Image, 2-year term from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2023 André Brewer, Board of Director Youth Services, 2-year term from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2023 Catherine Gump, Board of Director of The Rotary Foundation Director, 2-year term from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2023 Mike Martiny, Board of Director of Club Services, 2-year term from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2023
Edina Rotary Foundation Nominee List
Kelley Burnett, Edina Rotary Foundation Past Community Local Grants, 2-year term from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2023 Josh Sprague, Edina Rotary Foundation At-Large Board Director, 2-year term from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2023 Jody Kern, Edina Rotary Foundation At-Large Board Director 2nd term, 2-year term from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2023
Officer Nominee Paul Peterson, Officer, 5-year term from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2026
Dan Hallberg made a motion to approve the entire slate of nominees for both boards as presented; Jennifer Bennerotte seconded. Motion approved unanimously viva voce.
Please join The Rotary Club of Edina’s Leadership Series in December as we welcome Terrance W. Moore to share an interactive learning experience entitled “Solving Complicated Problems – How to Unwind the Spaghetti”. Register HERE or click the button in the righthand column. This session is open to the public so please forward this to your friends, colleagues, and employees so that can benefit as well. See you there!
Please join The Rotary Club of Edina’s Leadership Series in November as we welcome Jessica Parker PMP® to share an interactive learning experience entitled “Achieve Your Goals – One Bite at a Time.” Register HERE. This session is open to the public so please forward this to your friends, colleagues and employees so that can benefit as well. Registration for the ZOOM link is on the home page of our club website. See you there!
The foundation of the Rotary Club of Edina provides much needed grants for local and international causes. The most recently funded international grant will provide $5,000 for the Ejeda Hospital in Madagascar.
Ejeda Hospital in Ejeda, Madagascar, is a Lutheran Christian Mission Hospital that provides healthcare for an area of more than 125,000 people living in extreme poverty in a remote area. Currently, the hospital does not have access to reliable and sustainable electricity or water to serve its thousands of patients each year. The next closest hospital is 90 kilometers north and does not staff full-time surgeons.
The foundation of the Rotary Club of Edina has provided $500 for the Cambia Hills Playground and Thinking Park in East Bethel.
Cambia Hills built a state-of-the-art psychiatric residential treatment facility in the northern Twin Cities metro area. The facility opened in March and serves children ages 6-17 with complex mental health conditions. Medically managed care is provided 24/7.
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. Read on for details and contact information.
The foundation of the Rotary Club of Edina recently awarded grants to Volunteers Enlisted to Assist People (VEAP) and the Edina Meal Fund to help with food insecurity in the community. There is more to this announcement. Click Read More below.
The foundation of the Rotary Club of Edina recently awarded a grantof $2,800 to Open Arms of Minnesota.
Founded in 1986, Open Arms of Minnesota is a nonprofit that cooks and delivers free, nutritious meals topeople with life-threatening illnesses in the Twin Cities. With the help of more than 7,500 volunteers, Open Arms plans to cook and deliver more than 600,000 meals this year. The grant will be used to purchased seven iPads for delivery drivers.
Money for grants awarded by the Edina Rotary Foundation is raised at an annual fall fundraiser and gala and donations made throughout the year.
The foundation of the Rotary Club of Edina recently awarded a grant of $2,000 to Fishing For Life.
Fishing For Life is a non-profit organization with eight programs to reach at-risk youth, disadvantaged families and veterans in the Minneapolis area. The organization provides fishing supplies, education and mentoring to these underserved populations through the more than 75 events it hosts each year. The grant from the Rotary Club of Edina will be used to purchase 100 tackle boxes to be filled with bait and other equipment.
Sam Thompson was recently inducted as President of the Rotary Club of Edina.
Thompson is the founder and president of Edina-based Transitions in Business, an mergers-and acquisitions firm servicing lower-and middle-market businesses. He specializes in selling business in the following industries: healthcare, business to business, transportation, hospitality, manufacturing, distribution and information technology. He is also a licensed broker in the State of Minnesota. Thompson lives in Minneapolis with his wife, Kim, with whom he has three adult daughters, Rae, Sean and Lee.
Masks must be worn. To slow the spread of COVID-19, Mayor Jim Hovland has signed an Executive Order requiring people to wear face masks inside public spaces in Edina.
Click HERE to download City of Edina Mask Requirement materials that best fit your business, Generic, Retail and Food Service. Theses materials includes one of three types of logos, 8 x 11 Flyer, 11 x 17 Poster, Facebook/Instagram and Twitter ready photos.
The final meeting of the Rotary year was Thursday, June 25. This was the transition meeting, where the presidency of the Rotary Club of Edina will transfer from Josh Sprague to Sam Thompson. Outgoing club and foundation board members will be honored for their service, and incoming board members will be welcomed. Congratulate Josh on a successful and extraordinary Rotary year and wish Sam an "ordinary" year filled with many doors of opportunity.
The first meeting of the new Rotary year and the first in-person meeting at the Edina Country Club will be July 9.
The Rotary Club of Edina will present the 2020 Chrysanne Manoles Women In Leadership Award at its May 21 meeting. The award is given out each year to a deserving female leader in the community. The award is named after Rotary Club of Edina's first female member, Chrysanne Manoles. The Rotary Club of Edina presented Laura Hope Melton with its 2019 Chrysanne Manoles Women In Leadership Award.
8 to 10 people are needed to serve. Click here to sign up and volunteer today. The date and time is Saturday, April 11, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at open lot to be determined.
Sgt. Grant Snyder, MPD Homeless Liason,brought to our club his message of homelessness and his efforts to build relationships and bring safety to those in need. His words and actions had a profound impact on many of our members. In a downtown Minneapolis open lot, we will help the Minneapolis Police Department and Sgt. Snyder prepare a hot breakfast, serve roughly 100 homeless individuals and families then clean up on a Saturday morning. This event is scheduled to be held outdoors. An inclement weather update will be emailed or texted to you. Please contact Ann Platt with any questions
The next Rotary Vocational Development Group Happy Hour will be Wednesday, Mar. 4 from 5:30 to 7:00 pm at The Mezz within Lund's and Byerlys in Edina.
Once a month, Edina Rotarians have a chance to connect with other club members, and any guests, at the happy hour. These casual meetings feature a brief presentation from a fellow Rotarian, plus time for introductions, networking and questions. The Rotary Club of Edina and EMRC collaborate on this event.
The Rotaract Club of Edina will meet twice in December:
Wednesday, Dec. 11 at Bald Man Brewing starting at 7:00 to 9:00 pm. This is a service project, Beers and Blankets, collaboration with Twin Cities Rotaract Club. We will be making tie blankets to benefit Centro Guadalupoano non-profit serving immigrants and refugees.
Contact Rotaract President Mark Gasner at Mark@ellingsoncpas.com for more info.
The next Rotary Vocational Development Group will meet Wednesday, December 4. Our speaker will be Edina Morningside Rotary Club member, Talley Flora. As the CEO of Red Seat, Talley is an expert on hiring and helping businesses find employees as quickly, efficiently and affordably as possible. Please feel free to extend an invitation to friends, prospective members, as well as members from other clubs. Once a month, Edina Rotarians have a chance to connect with other club members, and any guests, at happy hour to discuss their business and careers. This Rotary event is held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Mezz at the Lunds & Byerly's in Edina. The meeting will feature a brief presentation from a featured Rotarian, plus time for introductions, networking and questions. The Rotary Club of Edina and EMRC collaborate on this event.
Dr. H.L. Saylor, III is a Vascular Surgeon, Medical Director of Perioperative Services, and former Chief of Staff and former Chief of Surgery at Fairview Southdale Hospital.
Dr. Saylor will be discussing a true gem in the Edina community – Fairview Southdale Hospital. It is one of the largest employers in the city and has received a Five-Star Rating by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. It is one of only two hospitals in the metro to receive this honor, and one of less than 300 to receive this award nationally. He will discuss the benefits of having such a hospital for you and your family, and will talk about how YOU can make a difference in healthcare in our community.
“There are many small angels all around us who can see what has been done here,” said Dr. Willy Menendez, the chief of pediatrics at Hospital Regional de Escuintla. “We will save many more little lives.”
For the last five years Dr. Willy Menendez, chief of pediatrics, and Dr. Sonja Posadas, sub-chief of pediatrics with Hospital Nacional De Escuintla helped create the idea of the largest of its kind neonatal/pediatric intensive care unit in Guatemala. They held tightly to this dream and never wavered. They are doing great and wonderful work but the water at the hospital in not clean and runs for 20 minutes every two hours a day. Our club and those of other area Rotary clubs are looking to help their efforts of securing a Global Grant to build a safe, secure and reliable water treatment facility for the hospital.
The next Rotary Vocational Development Group will be Wednesday, October 2.
Once a month, Edina Rotarians have a chance to connect with other club members, and any guests, at the happy hour. This Rotary event is held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Mezz at the Lunds & Byerly's in Edina. The meeting will feature a brief presentation from a featured Rotarian, plus time for introductions, networking and questions. The Rotary Club of Edina and EMRC collaborate on this event.
Monique Hammond is a registered pharmacist who lost hearing in her left ear – from a loud band - at a church fundraiser 10 years ago. The incident became a life-changer – she had to quit her job at the University Hospital Pharmacy. Monique had graduated with high distinction from the University of Minnesota, College of Pharmacy.
After losing hearing, she did 5 years of research and wrote the book: What Did You Say? An unexpected Journey into the World of Hearing Loss (now in the 2nd Edition).
Monique was appointed by the governor to the Commission of Deaf, Deafblind and Hard-Of-Hearing Minnesotans, where she completed two terms as vice-chair. She is also past president of the Twin Cities’ Chapter of the Hearing Loss Association of America.
Monique speaks regularly to employees and the members of the public about hearing loss and the dangers of loud noise. Website and blog: https://hearing-loss-talk.com/
This year's Rotary International Convention will be held in beautiful Honolulu, Hawaii, June 6 - 10, 2020. The Rotary Club of Edina has established a fund to reimburse the registration fee to a limited number of Edina club members who will be attending an international convention for the first time. Please click here to enter Rotary International's convention site and review the registration guidelines. Please keep in mind, our reimbursement fund is limited to the first six members who register, so please check with Sam Thompson or Josh Sprague to confirm funds are still available before making your final convention purchase.
The Rotaract Club of Edina will hold a Make-A-Meal event at Cornerstone from 5:00 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, August 6, 2019. At this Community Service Committee project, volunteers will prepare and serve a meal for 50 to 60 Cornerstone clients and their children. Cornerstone is located at 1000 E. 80th St., Bloomington.
You are welcome to volunteer and assist our Rotaract members with this project. By clicking on Rotaract President, Mark Gasner's, name you can let him know you'd like to help. Please note Cornerstone has a no children policy for their volunteers. They were a 2019 recipient of an Edina Rotary Foundation local grant and look forward to our meeting our visiting volunteers.
There is nothing quite like the frenetic and fleeting seasonality of the upper Midwest to inspire a soulful cook. For Chef Gavin Kaysen, an old soul at heart, this idea beckoned him back home to Minneapolis to open Spoon and Stable, a 2015 James Beard Award Finalist for Best New Restaurant, in the North Loop neighborhood in fall 2014. Further planting his roots in Minnesota in early 2017, he opened French-inspired bistro, Bellecour, in Wayzata, MN. His second restaurant is a nod to his friends and mentors, Chefs Daniel Boulud and the late Paul Bocuse, and their time spent together in Lyon, France. “Cooking is very emotional for me; I have to cook how I feel,” Kaysen says. “There’s something to be said for how you feel emotionally as one season gives way to the next, when it snows, rains, or is sunny. I never thought about that growing up here, but coming back, I see that now.”
The Thursday, June 27, Rotary Club of Edina meeting will be the last meeting of the Rotary year. The presidency of the club will transition from John Flynn to Josh Sprague. Sprague will serve as Club President from July 2019 through June 2020.
We'll hear from both the outgoing and incoming president at the meeting, as well as being introduced to the new and returning members of the Rotary Club of Edina Board of Directors and Edina Rotary Foundation Board of Directors. We'll also recognize the board members who are retiring from their board duties.
Join us for this special meeting at 12:15 p.m. Thursday, June 27, at the Edina Country Club. All are welcome. Cost for the lunch and program is $20 for adults and $12 for children. Cash, check and credit card payments are accepted.
There is NO ROTARY MEETING July 4, due to the 4th of July holiday.
Rotaract clubs consist of young professionals between the ages of 18 and 30 to take action in their communities, develop their leadership and professional skills, and have fun. Our next meeting will be held at 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thurs., May 30 at The Mezz, 7171 France Ave S, Edina 55435
This meeting will feature a preview session of Dale Carnegie led by Bridget Hallstrom, Dale Carnegie strategic account executive, who will lead an interactive session where you will learn to:
Learn a process to build relationships and improve memory skills
Review the 5 Drivers of Success
Understand the Dale Carnegie Course and how it could impact you
Put the date on your calendar and watch your email for more details.
The Area 3 Vocational Ethics Day is planned for 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. this Thursday, April 18, at the Edina Country Club. The keynote speaker at this year's event is Jerome Mayne. Since 2002, he has been speaking on the topics of fraud and ethics for associations and Fortune 500 companies in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
All Rotarians are encouraged to attend. You do not need to register for this meeting.
Held every year for all clubs in Rotary Area 3, Vocational Ethics Day is organized by Dan Hallberg, along with a committee of Rotarians from area clubs. For more information, contact Dan Hallberg at 952-541-0352.
Greg LaVallee is a speaker and advocate working to end distracted driving.
In 2013 Greg's 19 year old son, Phillip, was killed by a distracted driver. Since then he has worked along side his wife Amy to change driving attitudes and habits and raise awareness of the dangers of distracted driving.
Greg has given more than 40 presentations to date and educated new drivers from Annandale, Bloomington, Buffalo, Elk River, Monticello, Rogers, STMA, and Zimmerman. Recently he has begun to reach out to businesses and community groups.
Greg is a founding member and Director of Just Drive Inc., an organization dedicated to bringing awareness to the deadly epidemic of distracted driving.
Rotary Club of Edina will host our Prospective Member Day Thursday, February 21. All Rotarians are encouraged to bring a friend or colleague that is interested in learning more about Rotary and our club to the meeting. Lunch is on the club for all prospective members February 21! Please make sure your guests sign in at the guest table before the meeting.
The program speaker at the meeting will be P.J. Fleck, University of Minnesota Golden Gophers head football coach.
For more information, contact 2018-2019 Membership Director Royce Pavelka.
The next meeting of the Rotaract Club of Edina will be Thurs., Mar 28, at The Mezz in Lunds & Byerlys on France Avenue in Edina. The meeting begins at 6 p.m.
Speaker: Leadership Coach John Crudele
The main topic of his presentation/workshop is going to be, "creating the bridge from possibility to purpose". With over 30 years experience, John Crudele is known as a speaker, author and coach who relates to his audience in a very personal and profound way. More than two million people have been inspired by his stories, attracted to his authenticity and challenged by his candor.
At the Jan. 17 Rotary Club of Edina meeting, The Rotary Foundation Director David Clynes honored several members for their commitment to The Rotary Foundation in being named Paul Harris Fellows. Honored were:
André Brewer, PHF+2
Dan Hennen, PHF+2
Scott Neal, PHF+2
David Phillips, PHF+2
Ken Andersen, PHF+4
Ron Erhardt, PHF+5
Heather Hansen, PHF+7
Next year's TRF Director Susan Stiles helped with the presentation. Thank you all for your continued support of The Rotary Foundation!
Edina Rotarians, family and friends were ringing at the red kettle for the Salvation Army in December! Here new member Joe Mahoney and Rotarian Toshie Metzger ring the bell at Lunds & Byerly's on France Avenue in Edina. Ringers also were at Jerry's Foods in Edina during the week of Dec. 17.
Thanks to all our volunteers! And special thanks Dan Hallberg and Wayne Harmon for handling all the planning, details and bell hand-offs again this year!
Edina Rotarians, family and friends were ringing at the red kettle for the Salvation Army in December! Here new member Joe Mahoney and Rotarian Toshie Metzger ring the bell at Lunds & Byerly's on France Avenue in Edina. Ringers also were at Jerry's Foods in Edina during the week of Dec. 17.
Thanks to all our volunteers! And special thanks Dan Hallberg and Wayne Harmon for handling all the planning, details and bell hand-offs again this year!
The next Rotary Vocational Development Group will be Wednesday, Feb. 6. There is no gathering in January 2019.
Once a month, Edina Rotarians have a chance to connect with other club members, and any guests, at the happy hour. This Rotary event is held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Mezz at the Lunds & Byerly's in Edina. The meeting will feature a brief presentation from a featured Rotarian, plus time for introductions, networking and questions. The Rotary Club of Edina and EMRC collaborate on this event.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Professor David Schultz as the program speaker for the first meeting of the New Year, Jan. 3. Schultz, a professor at Hamline University and the University of Minnesota, will give us an analysis of the 2018 elections.
Rotarians, friends and family will be out ringing the bell at the red kettle this week for the Salvation Army!
Make sure to stop by Jerry's Foods in Edina Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 17, 19 and 20, from 2 to 8 p.m. to drop some coins in the kettle! Don't forget to drop by Jerry's on your way to the Holiday Party on Thursday—Paul Peterson, Paul Mooty and Marty Kupper will be entertaining the crowds at the kettle at Jerry's starting at 4 p.m.
On Tuesday, Dec. 18, and Friday, Dec. 21, we'll be ringing at Byerly's & Lunds, 7171 France Ave. in Edina. The Rotary ringers will be there from 2 to 8 p.m.
Thanks to Dan Hallberg and Wayne Harmon for once again organizing our volunteer ringers and being at every bell hand-off throughout the week! Let Dan know if you have questions.
The Rotary Club of Edina Holiday Party is this Thursday, Dec. 20, starting at 5:30 p.m. Join your fellow Rotarians and their guests for hearty appetizers and a cash bar at the Edina Country Club. Linda Peterson, of the incredibly talented Peterson Family, will be performing to put everyone in the holiday spirit!
Registration for the party has closed. Please contact Marty Kupper if you have questions.
There is NO regular Rotary Club of Edina meeting Dec. 20 or 27.
Ann and Jim Platt were honored as Major Donors to The Rotary Foundation at the Dec. 6 Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Past President Steve Slyce awarded the Platts with the the honor, and highlighted their generosity to TRF.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Eric Dayton as the program speaker at the Dec. 13 meeting. He will speak about “Identity & Entrepreneurship in the North.” The presentation will cover how the North has grown over the past five years from a knit hat into a movement.
Rotarian Stefan Smith will give his Classification Talk at the meeting.
There is no Rotary meeting next week, Dec. 20. Our annual Holiday Party is at 5:30 p.m. that evening, Dec. 20. There is also no meeting Dec. 27.
Click on the link below for more on the speaker...
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Eric Dayton as the program speaker at the Dec. 13 meeting. He will speak about “Identity & Entrepreneurship in the North.” The presentation will cover how the North has grown over the past five years from a knit hat into a movement.
Rotarian Stefan Smith will give his Classification Talk at the meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Matt Halley as program speaker at the Thursday, Dec. 6, meeting. He joined Cookie Cart as its Executive Director in 2004. Under his leadership Cookie Cart has grown from grass roots organization in North Minneapolis to one of the largest youth employment training program in the Twin Cities.
For more on the speaker, click on the link below...
The next Rotary Vocational Development Group will be Wednesday, Dec. 5.
Once a month, Edina Rotarians have a chance to connect with other club members, and any guests, at the happy hour. This Rotary event is held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Mezz at the Lunds & Byerly's in Edina. The meeting will feature a brief presentation from a featured Rotarian, plus time for introductions, networking and questions. The Rotary Club of Edina and EMRC collaborate on this event.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Matt Halley as program speaker at the Thursday, Dec. 6, meeting. He joined Cookie Cart as its Executive Director in 2004. Under his leadership Cookie Cart has grown from grass roots organization in North Minneapolis to one of the largest youth employment training program in the Twin Cities.
The deadline for submitting local grant applications to the Edina Rotary Foundation has passed for the 2018-2019 Rotary year. The deadline was Dec. 1, 2018.
The Rotaract Club of Edina will host two local authors at the Wednesday, Dec. 12, meeting. Colton Witte and Sean Bloomfield will speak about their book, "Adventure North." The two Chaska High School graduates canoed 2,200 miles up the Minnesota River to Hudson Bay when they were teenagers.
We will meet at 5:30 p.m. in the Community Room at Lunds & Byerly's in the 50th and France area of Edina. Rotarians are welcome at this special gathering!
Contact Rotaract President Mark Gasner at Mark@ellingsoncpas.com for more info.
Celebration and giving was in the air Nov. 21 when Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Edina and the Edina Morningside Rotary Club, along with family and friends, gathered at the Edina Country Club to assemble 80 Thanksgiving baskets. Then teams delivered the baskets to families in need in our community. The annual event was chaired again this year by Michael Stanzak, with help from Mary Hustad.
The program speaker at the Thursday, Nov. 29, Rotary Club of Edina meeting is Harvey Newcomb. He is Director of Principal Gifts for The Rotary Foundation in Chicago. He will speak about giving to The Rotary Foundation. Our club's annual TRF campaign kicks off this month!
The program speaker at the Thursday, Nov. 29, Rotary Club of Edina meeting is Harvey Newcomb. He is Director of Principal Gifts for The Rotary Foundation in Chicago. He will speak about giving to The Rotary Foundation. Our club's annual TRF campaign kicks off this month!
The Rotary Holiday Giving Program starts this Thursday! Please bring an unwrapped present for children of any age, as well as parents, to the meeting. They will be donated to CornerStone. Or bring gift cards to Macys or Marshalls. These will be donated to 66 West to purchase interview clothing or the residents. Other gift cards and cash donations are also welcome! Contact Jean Morrison for more info. Gifts can be donated at the Nov. 29, Dec. 6 and 13 meetings, as well as at the Holiday Party Dec. 20.
The next meeting of the Rotaract Club of Edina will be tonight, Wednesday, Nov. 28, at The Mezz in Lunds & Byerlys on France Avenue in Edina. The meeting begins at 6 p.m.
The Rotary Club of Edina and the Edina Morningside Rotary Club are embarking on starting and supporting a Rotaract Club. Rotaract clubs consist of young professionals between the ages of 18 and 30. Usually meetings will be held at 6 p.m. the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at The Mezz. Each meeting will feature a speaker and focus on service projects in alignment with Rotary’s mission of “Service Above Self.”
The Edina Rotary Foundation recently sent $6,000 to Protect Me Project, a U.S.-based non-profit with a mission of educating and empowering Latin American children ages 3 to 9 on how to say “no” when confronted by an abuser.
The Edina Rotary Foundation recently sent $6,000 to Protect Me Project, a U.S.-based non-profit with a mission of educating and empowering Latin American children ages 3 to 9 on how to say “no” when confronted by an abuser.
This week, Wednesday, Nov. 21, is our annual Thanksgiving Baskets event! Join us for lunch at the Edina Country Club at 11:45 a.m., followed by the assembling of Thanksgiving baskets. Then teams will deliver their baskets to families in need in Edina and the surrounding communities.
Registration for the meeting/basket assembly has closed. You can contact Michael Stanzak or Mary Hustad with questions.
Six area high school students won scholarships during Camp Enterprise earlier this month. Camp Enterprise, organized by the Rotary Club of Edina and Edina Morningside Rotary Club, provides high school students with a unique opportunity to learn about leadership, business and the free enterprise system.
For more photos and videos of Camp Enterprise, visit the Camp E Facebook page. And while you are there, give it a like!
More than 100 Minnesota/Wisconsin high school students joined us at YMCA Camp Ihudhapi Nov. 1-3 for the 2018 Rotary Camp Enterprise. The three-day camp is put on by the Rotary Club of Edina and Rotary Club of Edina Morningside for students in Rotary District 5950 and Rotary District 5960. The students are all sponsored by area Rotary clubs, and learn about the free enterprise system. They work together, with the help of mentors and counselors, to come up with a business plan and presentation. And on the last day, five lucky students won scholarships!
This year's Camp E was chaired by Hein de Hoog of EMRC. Sam Thompson was marketing director for this year's camp. Special thanks to our many, many volunteers! We couldn't do it without you!
The annual Area 3 Rotary Veterans Luncheon is next Monday, Nov. 12, at Bloomington Hilton, 3900 American Blvd. W., Bloomington. Check-in begins at 11 a.m. with live music, with the luncheon beginning at 11:15 and concluding at 1:15 p.m.
The last day to register was Nov. 1. If you are not signed up and would like to attend, please contact Josh Sprague.
Gen. Denny Schulstad, U.S. Air Force (retired), will be the emcee at the event. Schulstad is a former long-time member of our club. The featured speaker at the luncheon is Col. Ken Rizer, U.S. Air Force (retired).
There is no Rotary Club of Edina meeting on Thursday, Nov. 15, at the Edina Country Club. All members are encouraged to attend the Veterans Luncheon.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Lori Syverson, Executive Director of the Edina Chamber Commerce, and our own Tim Murphy, past Rotary District 5950 Governor, as program speakers at the Thursday, Nov. 8, meeting. Syverson and Murphy are members of the Edina Economic Development Committee. They will be sharing about their work, and what Edina looks like moving forward.
Click on the link below for more on the speakers...
The next meeting of the Rotaract Club of Edina will be Tuesday, Nov. 13. This is a special social event in private room at Wooden Hill Brewing Company. We will hear a speaker about the background of the company, and perhaps a tour.
The Rotary Club of Edina and the Edina Morningside Rotary Club are embarking on starting and supporting a Rotaract Club. Rotaract clubs consist of young professionals between the ages of 18 and 30. Usually meetings will be held at 6 p.m. the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at The Mezz. Each meeting will feature a speaker and focus on service projects in alignment with Rotary’s mission of “Service Above Self.”
For more on the Rotaract Club, click on the link below...
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Lori Syverson, Executive Director of the Edina Chamber Commerce, and our own Tim Murphy, past Rotary District 5950 Governor, as program speakers at the Thursday, Nov. 8, meeting. Syverson and Murphy are members of the Edina Economic Development Committee. They will be sharing about their work, and what Edina looks like moving forward.
For the first time in about six years Rotary Club of Edina hosted a blood drive on Oct. 25 with Memorial Blood Center’s mobile unit parked at Edina Country Club.
Thank you for showing up to donate as planned, and as meeting walk-ins, Rotarians, family members, friends and Edina Country Club members. We scored beyond expectations with 27 donations drawn by Memorial Blood Center over a four-hour span.
The Edina Rotary Foundation recently awarded $4,500 for three international service projects. They included grants to Protect Me Project, Open Arms Home for Children "Suds of Hope" program and Nibakure Community Village.
The next Rotary Vocational Development Group will be Wednesday, Nov. 7.
Once a month, Edina Rotarians have a chance to connect with other club members, and any guests, at the happy hour. This Rotary event is held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Mezz at the Lunds & Byerly's in Edina. The meeting will feature a brief presentation from a featured Rotarian, plus time for introductions, networking and questions. The speaker at the Nov. 7 get-together is Valeri Burke. The Rotary Club of Edina and EMRC collaborate on this event.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Jill Renslow as program speaker at the Thursday, Nov. 1, meeting. Renslow is Senior Vice President of Business Development and Marketing with Mall of America.
Click on the link below for more on the speaker...
Thank you to our hosts for the Fall Fireside Chats! Tom Ries, Thom Winninger, Gordy Lewis and Paul Mooty all invited Rotarians into their homes in October for food and fellowship.
Thanks also to Brad Hepp for organizing the get-togethers.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Jill Renslow as program speaker at the Thursday, Nov. 1, meeting. Renslow is Senior Vice President of Business Development and Marketing with Mall of America.
The Rotary Club of Edina hosted the Leadership Ethics Seminar for Edina High School students on Tuesday, Oct. 23, at St. Patrick's Church in Edina. This all-day session featured small group discussions, speakers, and a case study discussion for the entire group.
The Leadership Ethics Seminar was chaired this year by John Buttolph and Sutton McGraw. The seminar was started by longtime Rotarian Jerry Potter, who initiated this seminar for Edina students years ago. It was originally called "Do the Right Thing."
Edina Rotary held the fall Adopt-a-Park Day Sunday, Oct. 21. Chair Tom Cook and fellow Rotarians gathered to clean up Wooddale and Utley Parks in Edina. Thanks to all who volunteered, including Katy Campbell, Hannelore Brucker, David Clynes and Axel Steuer.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome J. Drake Hamilton as the speaker at the Thursday, Oct. 25, meeting. Hamilton is the science policy director at Fresh Energy. She will speak about "The Economic Power of Clean Energy."
Sharon Chandler and Sylvester Thomas will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
The Edina Rotary Blood Drive will also happen during the meeting this Thursday! Memorial Blood Centers will have their bloodmobile in the parking lot of Edina Country Club. We did request that anyone willing to donate sign up online, and you should have received reminder emails from Memorial Blood Centers confirming your time. Please contact Katy Campbell with questions.
The Rotary Club of Edina hosted the Leadership Ethics Seminar for Edina High School students on Tuesday, Oct. 23, at St. Patrick's Church in Edina. This all-day session featured small group discussions, speakers, and a case study discussion for the entire group.
The Leadership Ethics Seminar was chaired this year by John Buttolph and Sutton McGraw. The seminar was started by longtime Rotarian Jerry Potter, who initiated this seminar for Edina students years ago. It was originally called "Do the Right Thing."
Thanks to all our volunteers!
Click on the link for more photos from the event...
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome J. Drake Hamilton as the speaker at the Thursday, Oct. 25, meeting. Hamilton is the science policy director at Fresh Energy. She will speak about "The Economic Power of Clean Energy."
Sharon Chandler and Sylvester Thomas will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
We are looking for volunteers for 2018 Camp Enterprise! We need all different kinds of volunteers to make the event a success for more than 100 area high school students. Camp is Nov. 1 through 3 at YMCA Camp Ihduhapi. Contact Sam Thompson to volunteer, or for more information about our largest Youth Service project. If you are a new member who would like to know more, contact Sam, or go to the Camp E website and learn more, and then volunteer!
We also need more students to attend this great camp! We have spots open for Edina students—including children or grandchildren of Rotarians. If you have a family member that is a junior or senior in high school, please share info about Camp E with them and encourage them to attend. They can register here and find out all about the Camp E experience. If you or your student have questions, contact Sam Thompson or this year's Camp E Chair, Hein de Hoog of the Edina Morningside Rotary Club.
Thank you for helping us make this event a success!
The next meeting of the Rotaract Club of Edina will be Wednesday, Oct. 24. We will meet at 6 p.m. at The Mezz at Lunds & Bylerlys, 7171 France Ave. S.
The Rotary Club of Edina and the Edina Morningside Rotary Club are embarking on starting and supporting a Rotaract Club. Rotaract clubs consist of young professionals between the ages of 18 and 30. Meetings will be held at 6 p.m. the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at The Mezz. Most meetings will feature a speaker and focus on service projects in alignment with Rotary’s mission of “Service Above Self.” The Oct. 24 meeting will not have a speaker, but members will discuss plans for future events.
The first president of the Edina Rotaract Club is Mark Gasner. We do need more Rotaract members. Please contact Sam Thompson at sthompson@transitionsib.com if you have friends, family, neighbors or work associates who are age 18 to 30 and would be interested in joining our Rotaract Club.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Scott Neal as the program speaker at the Thursday, Oct. 18, meeting. Neal is the City Manager for Edina, and will give an update on development in the city.
Rotarian Jennifer Hendrickson will give her Classification Talk at the meeting.
Don't forget we are taking a group photo at the meeting! It is our first membership photo in 25 years! Come dressed for success and wearing your smile!
Click on the link below for more about the speaker...
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Scott Neal as the program speaker at the Thursday, Oct. 18, meeting. Neal is the City Manager for Edina, and will give an update on development in the city.
Rotarian Jennifer Hendrickson will give her Classification Talk at the meeting.
Don't forget we are taking a group photo at the meeting! It is our first membership photo in 25 years! Come dressed for success and wearing your smile!
The annual Area 3 Rotary Veterans Luncheon is set for Monday, Nov. 12, at Bloomington Hilton, 3900 American Blvd. W., Bloomington. Check-in begins at 11 a.m. with live music, with the luncheon beginning at 11:15 and concluding at 1:15 p.m.
Please register yourself and all guests online by Nov. 1. We need to report our attendance to the planners, so all are asked to register if they plan to attend.
Gen. Denny Schulstad, U.S. Air Force (retired), will be the emcee at the event. Schulstad is a former long-time member of our club. The featured speaker at the luncheon is Col. Ken Rizer, U.S. Air Force (retired).
Each Rotarian may invite up to two veterans as guests of our club, and Senior Active and Honorary Rotarians who are veterans may attend free of charge. Cost for guests that are not veterans will be $25.
There is no Rotary Club of Edina meeting on Thursday, Nov. 15, at the Edina Country Club. All members are encouraged to attend the Veterans Luncheon.
The Rotary Club of Edina will hold a Vocational Day meeting Thursday, Oct. 11, at Faribault Woolen Mill. Box lunches and bottled water will be provided on the bus ride to the mill. Host Paul Mooty will share the story of Faribault Woolen Mill on the bus ride.
Estimated arrival time at the mill is 12:30 p.m. We will break into smaller groups and get tours of the mill, as well as time in the gift shop. Anyone purchasing an item at the gift shop that day will get a 15 percent discount! Thanks, Paul!
Bus transportation is available, but please RSVP to Marty Kupper to reserve your spot. There is limited space on the bus. The bus will leave from the Edina Country Club Check promptly at 11:30 a.m. The bus will leave Faribault Woolen Mill at 1:30 p.m., and be back at the ECC by 2:30 p.m.
Registration is required to attend this meeting. Our online registration has passed. Please contact Marty if you would like to attend but are not registered. Due to the limited number of space on the bus, we are asking that only Rotary Club of Edina members attend this special meeting. If you any questions regarding this request, please contact Marty Kupper.
Did you know? You can still give blood if you…are a cancer survivor?
You are eligible to donate 1 year after a definitive course of treatment is complete and you are found to be cancer-free. Patients who have had certain forms of leukemia or lymphoma may be eligible after 5 years. Call 1-888-GVE-BLD to verify eligibility.
—Source: Memorial Blood Center "Did You Know"
Please RSVP To Be A Blood Donor on Thursday, Oct. 25, at Edina Country Club!
Every two seconds someone needs blood. Volunteer donors like you are the only people who can help. Please consider helping and Give Forward at our Edina Rotary Blood Drive on Thursday, Oct. 25! Memorial Blood Centers will have their bloodmobile in the parking lot of Edina Country Club.
Please register online if you are willing to help...we will accommodate your schedule and set appointments once we know who can help. (It takes less than an hour...complete with treats). Please invite family members, friends and neighbors to join you.
Please contact President John Flynn or event chair Katy Campbell if you have questions. Thank you for your service to humanity!!
The Rotary Club of Edina will hold a Prospective Member Day at the Thursday, Oct. 4 meeting. All Rotarians are encouraged to bring friends and colleagues that are interested in learning more about Rotary and our club.
The speaker Oct. 4 will be Kate Mortenson, president and CEO of the 2019 Minneapolis Final Four Local Organizing Committee. She will play a key role in efforts to ensure the next huge sporting event headed for the Twin Cities is a big success.
Rotarian Rich Kleber will give his Classification Talk at the meeting.
The next meeting of the Rotaract Club of Edina will be tonight, Wednesday, Oct. 10. We will meet at 6 p.m. at The Mezz at Lunds & Bylerlys, 7171 France Ave. S. The speaker at the meeting will be Josh Sprague, a real estate agent at Lakes Sotheby's International Realty in Edina. He will provide valuable tips on how to buy a house. He will also share information about the Edina High School Interact Rotary Club. Sprague is President-Elect of the Rotary Club of Edina.
The Rotary Club of Edina and the Edina Morningside Rotary Club are embarking on starting and supporting a Rotaract Club. Rotaract clubs consist of young professionals between the ages of 18 and 30. Meetings will be held there 6 p.m. the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month. Each meeting will feature a speaker and focus on service projects in alignment with Rotary’s mission of “Service Above Self.”
We need Rotaract members. Please contact Sam Thompson at sthompson@transitionsib.com if you have friends, family, neighbors or work associates that would be interested in joining our Rotaract Club.
Click on the link below for more about Rotaract...
The Rotary Club of Edina’s Board of Directors recently approved the applicant below for membership:
Sylvester Thomas
Classification: Financial Advisor
Sponsor: Greg Hanks
Written objections to the application must be submitted before 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 10, to Rotary Club of Edina, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424 or emailed to administrator@EdinaRotary.org.
The Rotary Club of Edina will hold a Prospective Member Day at the Thursday, Oct. 4 meeting. All Rotarians are encouraged to bring friends and colleagues that are interested in learning more about Rotary and our club.
The speaker Oct. 4 will be Kate Mortenson, president and CEO of the 2019 Minneapolis Final Four Local Organizing Committee. She will play a key role in efforts to ensure the next huge sporting event headed for the Twin Cities is a big success.
Rotarian Rich Kleber will give his Classification Talk at the meeting.
Prospective Member Day is Oct. 4; speaker is Kate Mortenson
The next Rotary Vocational Development Group will be today, Wednesday, Oct. 3.
Once a month, Edina Rotarians have a chance to connect with other club members, and any guests, at the happy hour. This Rotary event is held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Mezz at the Lunds & Byerly's in Edina. The meeting will feature a brief presentation from a featured Rotarian, plus time for introductions, networking and questions. The speaker at the Oct. 3 get-together is Royce Pavelka. The Rotary Club of Edina and EMRC collaborate on this event.
Click on the link below for more about the event...
There will be no Rotary Club of Edina meeting Thursday, Sept. 27, due to the Edina Rotary Foundation Fundraiser & Gala "Rotary's Got Talent" Saturday, Sept. 29, at the Metropolitan Ballroom & Clubroom in Golden Valley. The Gala counts as our official meeting this week. Registration for the Gala is closed, but you can bid in the Online Auction even if you are not attending. Go here to check out the items and start making your bids!
Our next regular meeting will be Oct. 4. This will be Prospective Member Day for the Club! All Rotarians are encouraged to bring friends and colleagues that are interested in learning more about Rotary and our club. The speaker Oct. 4 will be Kate Mortenson, president and CEO of the 2019 Minneapolis Final Four Local Organizing Committee. She will play a key role in efforts to ensure the next huge sporting event headed for the Twin Cities is a big success.
The second meeting of the Rotaract Club of Edina will be tonight, Wednesday, Sept. 26. We will meet at 6 p.m. at The Mezz at Lunds & Bylerlys, 7171 France Ave. S. The speaker at the meeting will be Mary Younggren, owner of Advent Group, a temporary staffing agency in Edina. She will provide tips on how to get a job, interview, conduct an interview and information on the industry in general. Younggren is a member of the Rotary Club of Edina.
The next meeting is at 6:15 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 10, at The Mezz. The featured speaker will be Rotarian Josh Sprague.
The first President of the Rotaract Club of Edina is Mark Gastner. Rotarians Scott Hawkinson and Jake Johnson are also on our first board. But we need Rotaract members and board members! Please contact Sam Thompson at sthompson@transitionsib.com if you have friends, family, neighbors or work associates that would be interested in joining our Rotaract Club.
At the Sept. 13 Rotary Club of Edina, Past President Jeff Ohe honored another of our Past Presidents. Steve Slyce was recognized for his generous donations to The Rotary Foundation, and achieving Major Donor status! That means Steve has given $10,000 to The Rotary Foundation! Congratulations Steve!
Several Rotarians from our club and around the District participated in the Walk to End Alzheimer's Sept. 15 at Target Field! Rotarian Rick Carlson, with the help of Jennifer Hendrickson and Brad Hepp, organized the "Rotary Rally for Alz" team. Thanks to all the Rotarians and friends and family that participated, including the Rotary team organizer, as well as Tom Gump (Edina Morningside Rotary Club), Bridget Hallstrom, Dave Hatzung, Sam Thompson and Sue Spalding, chief executive officer at the Alzheimer's Association, Minnesota-North Dakota chapter.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Laura Mulliken as program speaker at the Thursday, Sept. 20, meeting. She will speak about "Sex Trafficking in Minnesota and the Community Response."
There is NO Rotary Club of Edina meeting next week, Sept. 27, due to the Edina Rotary Foundation Fundraiser & Gala "Rotary's Got Talent" on Sept. 29!
Click on the link below for more on the speaker...
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Laura Mulliken as program speaker at the Thursday, Sept. 20, meeting. She will speak about "Sex Trafficking in Minnesota and the Community Response."
There is NO Rotary Club of Edina meeting next week, Sept. 27, due to the Edina Rotary Foundation Fundraiser & Gala "Rotary's Got Talent" on Sept. 29!
Our The Rotary Foundation Director, David Clynes, honored Paul Harris Fellows (PHF) at the Sept. 6 Rotary Club of Edina meeting. David, with the help of Katy Campbell, acknowledged their generous donations to The Rotary Foundation, including two members who are also Paul Harris Society (PHS) members, giving $1,000 each year to TRF.
The program speaker for the Thursday, Sept. 13, Rotary Club of Edina meeting is Irene Kelly, Governor of Rotary District 5950. She will share an update about our nationally recognized District. Her presentation is titled, "Be the Inspiration!" Kelly will serve as District Governor from July 2018 through June 2019. She is a member of the Eden Prairie AM Rotary Club.
Click on the link below for more on the speaker...
The program speaker for the Thursday, Sept. 13, Rotary Club of Edina meeting is Irene Kelly, Governor of Rotary District 5950. She will share an update about our nationally recognized District. Her presentation is titled, "Be the Inspiration!" Kelly will serve as District Governor from July 2018 through June 2019. She is a member of the Eden Prairie AM Rotary Club.
Several Rotarians were honored at the Aug. 30 Rotary Club of Edina meeting for their contributions to The Rotary Foundation. Our club's TRF Director, David Clynes, handed out pins to the following Rotarians who were honored as Paul Harris Fellows. Two are also members of the Paul Harris Society (PHS).
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dr. John Wald as program speaker at the Thursday, Sept. 6 meeting. Dr. Wald is a consultant in the Department of Radiology at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. His subspecialty training is in Neuroradiology with a focused interest in interventional spine and skull base procedures. He holds the academic rank of Professor. He will speak about "Mayo Clinic—Destination Medical Center."
Click on the link below for more on the speaker...
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Dave Phillips as a member in September 2017. Dave's sponsor to the club was Sandy Schley.
For more information about Dave, click on the link below...
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina in The Barker. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Bonnie Rolstad as a member in August 2017. Bonnie's sponsor to the club was Greg Yoch.
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Dave Phillips as a member in September 2017. Dave's sponsor to the club was Sandy Schley.
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Bonnie Rolstad as a member in August 2017. Bonnie's sponsor to the club was Greg Yoch.
Rotarian Hannelore Brucker was honored at the Aug. 23 Rotary Club of Edina meeting for her generous donations to The Rotary Foundation. Tim Murphy recognized Hannelore's donations to TRF as a Paul Harris Fellow, making her a Major Donor. Hannelore joined our club in July 2016.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dr. John Wald as program speaker at the Thursday, Sept. 6 meeting. Dr. Wald is a consultant in the Department of Radiology at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. His subspecialty training is in Neuroradiology with a focused interest in interventional spine and skull base procedures. He holds the academic rank of Professor. He will speak about "Mayo Clinic—Destination Medical Center."
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Renee DeLosh and Eric Wilkinson as program speakers at the Thursday, Aug. 30, meeting. They will talk about the 2019 KPMG Women's PGA Championship that will be held at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska.
Click on the link below for more on the speakers...
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Renee DeLosh and Eric Wilkinson as program speakers at the Thursday, Aug. 30, meeting. They will talk about the 2019 KPMG Women's PGA Championship that will be held at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska.
At the Aug. 16 Rotary Club of Edina meeting, our The Rotary Foundation Director, David Clynes, presented pins to the following Rotarians, who achieved Paul Harris Fellow status and beyond for their donations to The Rotary Foundation:
Stefan Smith—PHF
Mike Eckert—PHF+1
Mark Hegman—PHF+1
Jim Platt—PHF+2 (also Paul Harris Society member)
Erick Ries—PHF+2
Lisa Walker—PHF+2 (also PHS member)
Mary Hustad—PHF+3
Scott Neal—PHF+3
Sam Thompson—PHF+3 (also PHS member)
Tom Ries—PHF+5
For newer members, and those who need a reminder, here is what PHF and PHS mean:
Paul Harris Fellowship (PHF)—acknowledges individuals who contribute, or who have contributions made in their name, of $1,000 to The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International.
PHF was established in 1957 to show appreciation for and encourage substantial contributions. The number of PHF reached 1 million in 2006.
Paul Harris Society (PHS)—recognizes Rotary members and friends of The Rotary Foundation who elect to contribute $1,000 or more each year to the Annual Fund, PolioPlus Fund, or approved global grants.
Congratulations to all our Paul Harris Fellows and Paul Harris Society members! For more information on TRF and donating, contact David Clynes.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Ben Utecht as program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 23, meeting. Utecht, a Minnesota native who played football for the University of Minnesota, and went on to play in the NFL for the Cincinnati Bengals and Indianapolis Colts. He won a Super Bowl ring with the Colts in 2007. He is a professional singer as well as motivational speaker. He will speak about "The MVP Program/The Champion's Way."
New members Doug Drake and Forest Green will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
Click on the link below for more on the speaker...
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Ben Utecht as program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 23, meeting. Utecht, a Minnesota native who played football for the University of Minnesota, and went on to play in the NFL for the Cincinnati Bengals and Indianapolis Colts. He won a Super Bowl ring with the Colts in 2007. He is a professional singer as well as motivational speaker. He will speak about "The MVP Program/The Champion's Way."
New members Doug Drake and Forest Green will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dr. Nancy Hutchison as program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 16, meeting. Hutchison is a physician specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation and she is a national expert in helping patients recover from the physical side effects of cancer and cancer treatment.
Rotarian Susan Stiles will give her Classification Talk at the meeting.
Click on the link below for more on the speaker...
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dr. Nancy Hutchison as program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 16, meeting. Hutchison is a physician specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation and she is a national expert in helping patients recover from the physical side effects of cancer and cancer treatment.
Several Edina Rotarians were honored for their donations to The Rotary Foundation at the Aug. 2 Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Our TRF Director David Clynes presented the following Rotarians with their PHF pins:
Gary Pedersen—PHF+4
Susan Stiles—PHF+5
Kris Maser—PHF+6
Bonnie Rolstad—PHF+7
Congratulations and many thanks to these members for their generosity.
Rotarians and family volunteered to hand out Deterra packets (which are a safe way to render drugs inactive, allowing people to easily dispose of drugs) Tuesday, Aug. 7, at Night to Unite parties across Edina. We partnered with the Edina Police Department to deliver the packets. Thank you to all the volunteers who helped out, and to Fred Sylvester for coordinating the event for our club.
Click on the link below for more photos from the parties...
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Diane Cross, CEO of Fraser, as program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 9, meeting. Cross will share the story about Fraser's making a difference in our community.
New member Dr. Sita Dash will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
Click on the link below for more on the speaker...
The Rotary Club of Edina and the Edina Morningside Rotary Club are embarking on starting and supporting a Rotaract Club. Rotaract clubs consist of young professionals between the ages of 18 and 30. Starting a Rotaract Club is one of five of our clubs visioning goals. It also is Rotary International President Barry Rassin’s goal this year is to expand Rotaract globally and strengthen the transition from Rotaract into Rotary.
The first Rotaract meeting with be at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 12, at The Mezz in the Lunds & Byerlys on France Avenue in Edina. The meetings will be the second and fourth Wednesday of the month, starting Sept. 12.
We need Rotaract members. Please contact Sam Thompson at sthompson@transitionsib.com if you have friends, family, neighbors or work associates that would be interested in joining our Rotaract Club.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Diane Cross, CEO of Fraser, as program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 9, meeting. Cross will share the story about Fraser's making a difference in our community.
New member Dr. Sita Dash will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
Volunteers needed! Edina Rotary Club, along with the Edina Crime Prevention Fund, will be distributing Deterra packets during Night To Unite Tuesday, Aug, 7.
We are looking for volunteers to help with delivering the Deterra packets to several block parties throughout the Edina area beginning at 4:30 p.m. Volunteers will ride alone with Edina Police officers to visit parties and distribute the Deterra packets. We would love to visit block parties being held by our Rotarians! Please let us know if your neighborhood will be hosting an event. We'll share more details about the block party locations closer to Aug. 7.
You may remember hearing about and seeing Deterra packets at the Opioid Awareness Workshop our club hosted May 3. The Deterra packets render drugs inactive, giving people an easy way to dispose of drugs they do not need. A representative of Verde Technoglogies, who produces the packets, spoke at the workshop. After the workshop, our club gave the Edina Crime Prevention Fund a grant to purchase Deterra packets.
If you would like to volunteer to hand out the packets at Night to Unite, please register here.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Mark Irving as program speaker Thursday, Aug. 2. Irving was a professional jockey for 20 years. He has a new role as Racing Ambassador for Canterbury Park.
Don't forget to buy your tickets to Rotary Day at Canterbury! You can purchase tickets for this Aug. 10 fundraiser for The Rotary Foundation's PolioPlus at this week's meeting! Check with Renee Harberts or David Clynes for more info.
Click on the link below for more about the speaker...
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Mark Irving as program speaker Thursday, Aug. 2. Irving was a professional jockey for 20 years. He has a new role as Racing Ambassador for Canterbury Park.
At the July 19 Rotary Club of Edina meeting, several Rotarians were honored for their donations to The Rotary Foundation. David Clynes, our club's The Rotary Foundation Director, presented them with pins and congratulations. He was assisted by past president Scott MacDonald.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Don Smithmier as program speaker at the Thursday, July 26. Smithmier is the founder and CEO of two companies: GoKart Labs and The Big Know. He will speak about "We're All Digital Start-ups Now."
Perfect Attendance certificates for the 2017–2018 Rotary year will be awarded at the meeting.
Click on the link below for more on the speaker...
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Don Smithmier as program speaker at the Thursday, July 26. Smithmier is the founder and CEO of two companies: GoKart Labs and The Big Know. He will speak about "We're All Digital Start-ups Now."
President John Flynn, with special guest Pam Conlow, joined with other Rotarians, family and friends at the 4th of July Parade in Edina! Despite some rain, the volunteers carried the Rotary banner and handed out treats while accompanied by a posse of superheroes running alongside the presidential vehicle. Other Rotarians also participated in the parade, including Frank Cardarelle, who was one of the Grand Marshalls!
Thanks to everyone who came out to volunteer, and those that cheered them along the parade route!
The Edina Rotary Foundation recently awarded up to $21,000 in grants for four pending international service projects. The projects will take place in Guatemala, Palestine and South Africa. Our International Service Committee will partner with other local and international Rotary clubs, as well as other organizations, to fund the projects.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Bill McGuire as the program speaker at the Thursday, July 19, meeting. McGuire is former chairman and CEO of UnitedHealth Group, and owns the Minnesota United FC, Minnesota's professional soccer team.
Rotarian Katy Campbell will give her Classification Talk at the meeting.
Click on the link below for more on the speaker...
Rotary Club of Edina will host another Prospective Member Day at this week's meeting, Thursday, July 19. All Rotarians are encouraged to bring a friend or colleague that is interested in learning more about Rotary and our club to the meeting. Lunch is on the club for all prospective members July 19! Please make sure your guests sign in at the guest table before the meeting.
For more information, contact 2018-2019 Membership Director Royce Pavelka.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Bill McGuire as the program speaker at the Thursday, July 19, meeting. McGuire is former chairman and CEO of UnitedHealth Group, and owns the Minnesota United FC, Minnesota's professional soccer team.
Rotarian Katy Campbell will give her Classification Talk at the meeting.
The first meeting of the new Rotary year, Thursday, July 12, will feature the ambassadors of the Minneapolis Aquatennial! Our own Bill McReavy, who serves as the Aquatennial Commodore, will be one of the speakers.
For more information on the speakers, click on the link below...
There is no Rotary Happy Hour/Vocational Development Group this month because of the 4th of July holiday.
The next Rotary Vocational Development Group will be Wednesday, Aug. 1.
Once a month, Edina Rotarians have a chance to connect with other club members, and any guests, at the happy hour. This Rotary event is held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Mezz at the Lunds & Byerly's in Edina. The meeting will feature a brief presentation from a featured Rotarian, plus time for introductions, networking and questions. The Rotary Club of Edina and EMRC collaborate on this event.
The Edina Rotary Foundation recently awarded another $5,400 in grants to four local organizations.
Earlier this year, the Foundation awarded more than $45,000 to 10 local organizations. With funding still available, the Foundation gave grants in May to the Edina Police Department, Fraser, Hearts & Hammers and the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
The first meeting of the new Rotary year, Thursday, July 12, will feature the ambassadors of the Minneapolis Aquatennial! Our own Bill McReavy, who serves as the Aquatennial Commodore, will be one of the speakers.
The Edina Rotary Foundation recently awarded another $5,400 in grants to four local organizations.
Earlier this year, the Foundation awarded more than $45,000 to 10 local organizations. With funding still available, the Foundation gave grants in May to the Edina Police Department, Fraser, Hearts & Hammers and the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
One of the Rotary Club of Edina’s signature projects for 2017–2018 has been installed near the playground at Rosland Park in Edina.
The Edina Rotary Foundation donated $10,000 to the City of Edina’s Parks & Recreation Department for musical instruments at the park, 4300 W. 66th St. Musical instruments are proven to be provide multi-generational, interactive play. They are durable, sculptural, perfectly tuned and designed for all abilities. Rosland Park is home to the City’s first ADA-accessible playground and officials believe the instruments will further enhance the park and community.
The Rotary Club of Edina is sponsoring the City of Edina’s new Southdale-area circulator bus called CloverRide. With the goal of making the Southdale area more accessible, CloverRide is offered weekly on Fridays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Riders pay a daily fare of $3 that allows them unlimited rides throughout that day.
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Dan Stolfa as a member in September 2017. He became a Rotarian in July 2003. Dan's sponsor to the club was Josh Sprague.
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Susan Stiles as a member in September 2017. She became a Rotarian in March 2001. Susan's sponsor to the club was Josh Sprague.
The Rotary Club of Edina held the annual Transition Meeting, the last meeting of the Rotary year, on June 28. The presidency of the club transitioned from San Asato to John Flynn. John will be president from July 2018 through June 2019. Outgoing Club and Edina Rotary Foundation board members were honored, including Past President Ann Platt, who goes off the Club Board after serving five years.
Click on the link below for more on the officers and board...
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Dan Stolfa as a member in September 2017. He became a Rotarian in July 2003. Dan's sponsor to the club was Josh Sprague.
The Thursday, June 28, Rotary Club of Edina meeting will be the last meeting of the Rotary year. The presidency of the club will transition from San Asato to John Flynn. Flynn will serve as Club President from July 2018 through June 2019.
We'll hear from both the outgoing and incoming presidents at the meeting, as well as being introduced to the new members of the Rotary Club of Edina Board of Directors and Edina Rotary Foundation Board of Directors. We'll also acknowledge the members who are moving off the boards.
There is NO ROTARY MEETING July 5, due to the 4th of July holiday.
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Susan Stiles as a member in September 2017. She became a Rotarian in March 2001. Susan's sponsor to the club was Josh Sprague.
The Rotary Club of Edina’s Board of Directors recently approved the applicants below for membership:
Doug Drake
Classification: Surgery—Orthopedic
Sponsor: Dick Teegen
Forest Green
Classification: Mortgage—Residential
Sponsor: Royce Pavelka
Bridget Hallstrom
Classification: Professional Development
Sponsor: Greg Yoch
Afira Hassan
Classification: Optometry
Sponsor: Greg Yoch
Written objections to the application must be submitted before 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 11, to Rotary Club of Edina, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424 or emailed to administrator@EdinaRotary.org.
The Thursday, June 28, Rotary Club of Edina meeting will be the last meeting of the Rotary year. The presidency of the club will transition from San Asato to John Flynn. Flynn will serve as Club President from July 2018 through June 2019.
We'll hear from both the outgoing and incoming presidents at the meeting, as well as being introduced to the new members of the Rotary Club of Edina Board of Directors and Edina Rotary Foundation Board of Directors. We'll also acknowledge the members who are moving off the boards.
Join us for this special meeting at 12:15 p.m. Thursday, June 28, at the Edina Country Club. All are welcome. Cost for the lunch and program is $20 for adults and $12 for children. Cash, check and credit card payments are accepted.
There is NO ROTARY MEETING July 5, due to the 4th of July holiday.
Despite the rain, the annual Rotary Family Picnic inside the Edina Country Club last Tuesday, June 19, went well, with a great buffet including burgers, brats and a cash bar. Children enjoyed activities and playing in the large banquet room. Several spouses and family members enjoyed getting to know each other. Entertainment was outstanding!
The Rotary Club of Edina Family Picnic is tonight, this Tuesday, June 19! The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. and go until 7:30 at the Edina Country Club. Note the picnic is on Tuesday, but takes the place of the regular Rotary meeting that week.
The Edina Country Club will be serving burgers, brats, chicken, corn on the cobb, watermelon, potato salad, green salad, and cookies and bars. There will also be a cash bar. Valet parking will be available. Note that the ECC does NOT have a cash machine, so come prepared for the cash bar and valet tipping, if needed.
Make sure to bring your kids and grandkids! There will be face painting, balloon animals, T-shirt decorating and yard games! Registration for the event is closed. Contact Royce Pavelka if you have questions.
There is no regular Rotary meeting this, Thursday, June 21.
The Rotary Club of Edina Family Picnic is set for this Tuesday, June 19! The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. and go until 7:30 at the Edina Country Club. Note the picnic is on Tuesday, but takes the place of the regular Rotary meeting that week.
The Edina Country Club will be serving burgers, brats, chicken, corn on the cobb, watermelon, potato salad, green salad, and cookies and bars. There will also be a cash bar. Valet parking will be available. Note that the ECC does NOT have a cash machine, so come prepared for the cash bar and valet tipping, if needed.
Make sure to bring your kids and grandkids! There will be face painting, balloon animals, T-shirt decorating and yard games! Registration for the event is closed. Contact Royce Pavelka if you have questions.
There is no regular Rotary meeting on Thursday, June 21.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Eric Curry as program speaker at the Thursday, June 14, meeting. Curry just completed his 18th season as a Division I college basketball official. He will speak about "Called for Traveling: The Life of a College Basketball Official."
Rotarian Jake Johnson will give his Classification Talk at the meeting.
Click on the link below for more on the speaker...
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Eric Curry as program speaker at the Thursday, June 14, meeting. Curry just completed his 18th season as a Division I college basketball official. He will speak about "Called for Traveling: The Life of a College Basketball Official."
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Arlene Vernon as program speaker at the Thursday, June 7, meeting. Vernon is a human resource strategist with over 30 years of experience as a consultant and trusted resource for a diverse group of small and medium-sized organizations. In her talk, she will explore how the #metoo movement impacts us as organizational leaders and what, if anything, we’re doing about it. Do you know whether this public discussion has affected your workplace culture? What are your employees saying privately and publicly to each other and to management? Are your employees feeling more empowered or are they now more paranoid? Nothing about this issue is simple; neither is taking a leadership stance to create a positive, open, harassment-free, discrimination-free, bullying-free culture focused on achieving our organizations’ objectives.
Click on the link below for more on the speaker...
The next Rotary Vocational Development Group will be tonight, Wednesday, June 6.
Once a month, Edina Rotarians have a chance to connect with other club members, and any guests, at the happy hour. This Rotary event is held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Mezz at the Lunds & Byerly's in Edina. The meeting will feature a brief presentation from a featured Rotarian, plus time for introductions, networking and questions. The featured speaker at the June 6 gathering will be Margaret Johnson of Edina Morningside Rotary Club. The Rotary Club of Edina and EMRC collaborate on this event.
Note that there will be no Rotary Happy Hour in July, due to the July 4 holiday.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Arlene Vernon as program speaker at the Thursday, June 7, meeting. Vernon is a human resource strategist with over 30 years of experience as a consultant and trusted resource for a diverse group of small and medium-sized organizations. In her talk, she will explore how the #metoo movement impacts us as organizational leaders and what, if anything, we’re doing about it. Do you know whether this public discussion has affected your workplace culture? What are your employees saying privately and publicly to each other and to management? Are your employees feeling more empowered or are they now more paranoid? Nothing about this issue is simple; neither is taking a leadership stance to create a positive, open, harassment-free, discrimination-free, bullying-free culture focused on achieving our organizations’ objectives.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Lindsey Smith as program speaker at the Thursday, May 31, meeting. Smith, a nurse practitioner, is a volunteer with the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) and has recently taken on the roll of President of the Minnesota Chapter.
Rotarian Dan Stolfa will give his Classification Talk at the meeting.
Click on the link below for more on the speaker...
The Rotary Club of Edina recently awarded scholarships to two Edina High School graduates. Aarathi Garimella and Yifei Zhang were each given $1,250 scholarships at a special breakfast at the Church of St. Patrick Friday, May 25. The presentation was made by the club’s Youth Service Director, Kip Peterson.
Click on the link below for more on the scholarship winners...
The Rotary Club of Edina recently awarded scholarships to two Edina High School graduates. Aarathi Garimella and Yifei Zhang were each given $1,250 scholarships at a special breakfast at the Church of St. Patrick Friday, May 25. The presentation was made by the club’s Youth Service Director, Kip Peterson.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Lindsey Smith as program speaker at the Thursday, May 31, meeting. Smith, a nurse practitioner, is a volunteer with the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) and has recently taken on the role of President of the Minnesota Chapter.
Rotarian Dan Stolfa will give his Classification Talk at the meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina presented Lexi Reed Holtum with its 2018 Chrysanne Manoles Women In Leadership Award at its May 24 meeting. The award is given out each year to a deserving female leader in the community. The award is named after Rotary Club of Edina's first female member, Chrysanne Manoles.
The 2018 Chrysanne Manoles Women In Leadership Award will be presented this Thursday, May 24, at the Rotary Club of Edina meeting at the Edina Country Club. This is the ninth Women in Leadership Award given, named after Chrysanne Manoles, the first female member of our club. She is still active in Rotary today. In Manoles’ honor and to celebrate the work of women in the community, the Rotary Club of Edina established an annual women’s leadership award in 2008.
The speaker will be the 2017 Women in Leadership Award winner, Lauren Morse-Wendt.
For more on the award and this week's speaker, click on the link below...
The Rotary Club of Edina’s Board of Directors recently approved the applicant below for membership:
Dr. S.K. Dash
Classification: Health & Wellness
Sponsor: Don Hutchison
Written objections to the application must be submitted before 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 6, to Rotary Club of Edina, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424 or emailed to administrator@EdinaRotary.org.
The 2018 Chrysanne Manoles Women In Leadership Award will be presented this Thursday, May 24, at the Rotary Club of Edina meeting at the Edina Country Club. This is the ninth Women in Leadership Award given, named after Chrysanne Manoles, the first female member of our club. She is still active in Rotary today. In Manoles’ honor and to celebrate the work of women in the community, the Rotary Club of Edina established an annual women’s leadership award in 2008.
The speaker will be the 2017 Women in Leadership Award winner, Lauren Morse-Wendt.
Rotarian Susan Stiles will give her Classification Talk at the meeting.
For more information about the the Women in Leadership Award, contact club Past President Jennifer Bennerotte, 612-201-3467 or jbennerotte@EdinaRotary.org.
“You'll laugh, you'll cry, you may see Tim Murphy fly!”
—Bob Halagan, 2017–2018 District 5950 Governor
Join us Monday, May 21, at the Guthrie Theater in downtown Minneapolis for the 2018 District 5950 Conference—a year-end celebration of all the incredible work our District 5950 Rotarians have done this Rotary year. The event is split into three "acts," and members can sign up for all three acts, or pick and choose what works best.
All Rotarians are encouraged to attend the District Conference. The club will reimburse regular members for the cost of one session (or "Act") at the conference, up to $50.Sign up today on the District website. Then send an email to Club Administrator Jennifer Garske that you are signed up. You will be credited for the reimbursement amount on your next quarterly invoice (up to $50 per member, depending on the session(s) you registered for). Please let Jen Garske or President San Asato know if you have questions. Early bird pricing ends April 1, and you won't want to miss this Rotary-tacular event!
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Jake Johnson as a member in September 2017. Jake's sponsor to the club was Ann Platt.
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Kelly Anderson as a member in August 2017. Kelly's sponsor to the club was John Buttolph.
The Rotary Club of Edina will hold a Vocational Day meeting this Thursday, May 17, at the University of Minnesota Athletes Village. Box lunches and bottled water will be provided. There will be a tour of the complex after lunch and a presentation.
Bus transportation is available for a limited number of members. A 56-passenger bus will leave from the Edina Country Club Check promptly at 11:15 a.m. The bus will return to the ECC by 2 p.m.
If you prefer to drive, parking will be available on campus at the Fourth Street ramp, located along Fifth Street Southeast. You enter the ramp on the 17th Avenue side.
Registration is required to attend this meeting. We are limited to a maximum of 100 people at the meeting, and 56 to ride the bus. Please indicate on the registration page if you would like to ride the bus to the meeting and/or email Marty Kupper (marty@kupper.com) to sign up to ride the bus. Registration will close at noon Monday, May 14.
Cost for the meeting is the same as a regular meeting—Senior Active and Honorary members will pay $20 at the door; regular members were already billed for this meeting on their Q4 invoice.
Our club holds vocational meetings annually to highlight a vocation and/or business in our community.
Contact Club Service Director Marty Kupper with questions or more information about Vocational Day.
Vocational Day meeting at U of M Athletes Village on May 17
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website and in our newsletter. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Jake Johnson as a member in September 2017. Jake's sponsor to the club was Ann Platt.
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website and in our newsletter. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Kelly Anderson as a member in August 2017. Kelly's sponsor to the club was John Buttolph.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Mike Wolbrink as program speaker at the Thursday, May 10, meeting. Wolbrink is President of Azule Staffing, the largest Service Disabled Veteran Owned Business (SDVOSB) staffing company in Minnesota. He will speak about "Azule, Veterans and the Job Market."
Rotarian Dave Phillips will give his Classification Talk at the meeting.
Click on the link below for more on the speaker...
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Mike Wolbrink as program speaker at the Thursday, May 10, meeting. Wolbrink is President of Azule Staffing, the largest Service Disabled Veteran Owned Business (SDVOSB) staffing company in Minnesota. He will speak about "Azule, Veterans and the Job Market."
Rotarian Dave Phillips will give his Classification Talk at the meeting.
The May 3 Rotary Club of Edina meeting was an Opioid Awareness Workshop for Rotarians and members of the public. Our club—along with Rotary District 5950 and the Rotary Clubs of Bloomington, Buffalo, Eden Prairie Noon, North Minneapolis and Rogers—sponsored the workshop. The event featured speakers from the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, Hennepin County Sheriff's Department, Steve Rummler Hope Network, TRIA and Verde Technologies discussing all aspects of the opioid crisis.
The next Rotary Vocational Development Group will be this Wednesday, May 2.
Once a month, Edina Rotarians have a chance to connect with other club members, and any guests, at the happy hour. This Rotary event is held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Mezz at the Lunds & Byerly's in Edina. The meeting will feature a brief presentation from a featured Rotarian, plus time for introductions, networking and questions. The featured speaker at the May 2 gathering will be Kelley Burnett. The Rotary Club of Edina and EMRC collaborate on this event.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Bill Neuendorf as the program speaker at the Thursday, April 26, meeting. Neuendorf is the Economic Development Manager for the City of Edina. He will talk about the development in the 50th and France area of Edina.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Bill Neuendorf as the program speaker at the Thursday, April 26, meeting. Neuendorf is the Economic Development Manager for the City of Edina. He will talk about the development in the 50th and France area of Edina.
The Area 3 Vocational Ethics Day will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. this Thursday, April 19, at the Edina Country Club. The speaker at this year's event is Nancy M. Dahl. She will speak about "My Decisions Matter." She is a speaker on leadership, leading change, innovation and professional development across the nation for a wide range of business and educational audiences. Dahl released a book in 2017, "Grounded: Leading Your Life with Intention."
You do not need to register for this event. All Rotarians are encouraged to attend. Note the earlier meeting start time!
Held every year for all clubs in Rotary Area 3, Vocational Ethics Day is organized by Dan Hallberg, along with a committee of Rotarians from area clubs. For more information, contact Dan Hallberg at 952-541-0352.
For more on this year's speaker, click on the link below...
The 2018 St. Paul Winter Carnival Royal Family will be the program speakers at the Thursday, April 12, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. The St. Paul Winter Carnival Royal Family is part of the St. Paul Festival and Heritage Foundation's Winter Carnival. The family represents the festival and the city of St. Paul at other festivals and community functions across North America.
It is also Prospective Member Day at the April 12 meeting! Plan to bring a colleague or friend to the meeting and introduce them to Rotary! All prospective members will receive lunch on the club at the meeting. Please make sure your guest(s) check in at the check-in table as they arrive. Share the Rotary love and bring an interested guest to the meeting! Contact Membership Director Greg Yoch for more info.
The 2018 St. Paul Winter Carnival Royal Family will be the program speakers at the Thursday, April 12, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. The St. Paul Winter Carnival Royal Family is part of the St. Paul Festival and Heritage Foundation's Winter Carnival. The family represents the festival and the city of St. Paul at other festivals and community functions across North America.
It is also Prospective Member Day at the April 12 meeting! Plan to bring a colleague or friend to the meeting and introduce them to Rotary! All prospective members will receive lunch on the club at the meeting. Share the Rotary love and bring an interested guest to the meeting!
The Rotary Foundation Director David Clynes handed out Paul Harris Fellow and Paul Harris Society pins to members at the March 29 meeting. Members were honored for their donations to The Rotary Foundation.
Members who were presented PHF pins were:
Jennifer Hendrickson—PHF
Jonathan Sprague—PHF
Kelly Sprague—PHF
Nicholas Sprague—PHF
Charles Rauenhorst—PHF+4
Wooj Byun—PHF+5
Mike Opitz—PHF+5
Kris Maser—PHF+5
Jean Morrison—PHF+7
Members honored as PHS members were:
Tom Cook
Renee Harberts
Wayne Harmon
David Phillips
Thank you to all those recognized for their generosity to The Rotary Foundation.
The Thursday, April 5, Rotary Club of Edina meeting is a joint meeting with the Edina Morningside Rotary Club. Our club will host EMRC members at our usual meeting place and time, 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club.
The program speaker for the April 5 meeting is Eric Perkins. Perkins is the Sports Director at KARE-11. He will speak about "At Play."
Click on the link below for more on the speaker...
The Rotary Foundation Director David Clynes handed out Paul Harris Fellow and Paul Harris Society pins to members at the March 29 meeting. Members were honored for their donations to The Rotary Foundation.
Members who were presented PHF pins were:
Jennifer Hendrickson—PHF
Jonathan Sprague—PHF
Kelly Sprague—PHF
Nicholas Sprague—PHF
Charles Rauenhorst—PHF+4
Wooj Byun—PHF+5
Mike Opitz—PHF+5
Kris Maser—PHF+5
Jean Morrison—PHF+7
Members honored as PHS members were:
Tom Cook
Renee Harberts
Wayne Harmon
David Phillips
Thank you to all those recognized for their generosity to The Rotary Foundation.
The next Rotary Vocational Development Group is today, Wednesday, April 4.
Once a month, Edina Rotarians have a chance to connect with other club members, and any guests, at the happy hour. This Rotary event is held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Mezz at the Lunds & Byerly's in Edina. The meeting will feature a brief presentation from a featured Rotarian, plus time for introductions, networking and questions. The featured speaker at the April 4 gathering will be Mark Stageberg. The Rotary Club of Edina and EMRC collaborate on this event.
Click on the link below for more information on the event...
The Thursday, April 5, Rotary Club of Edina meeting is a joint meeting with the Edina Morningside Rotary Club. Our club will host EMRC members at our usual meeting place and time, 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club.
The program speaker for the April 5 meeting is Eric Perkins. Perkins is the Sports Director at KARE-11. He will speak about "At Play."
Dr. Andrew M. Baker will be the program speaker at the Thursday, March 29, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Baker is Chief Medical Examiner for Hennepin County. He will speak about "The Current and Future State of the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office."
For more information on the speaker, click on the link below...
Dr. Andrew M. Baker will be the program speaker at the Thursday, March 29, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Baker is Chief Medical Examiner for Hennepin County. He will speak about "The Current and Future State of the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office."
The Rotary Foundation Director David Clynes handed out Paul Harris Fellow pins to members at the March 15 meeting. Members were honored for their donations to The Rotary Foundation. Helping David with the presentation was new member Toshie Metzger. Members who were presented pins were:
Kelley Burnett—PHF
Mark Stageberg—PHF
Tim Fargo—PHF+1
Paul Peterson—PHF+1
Kip Peterson—PHF+2
Greg Yoch—PHF+3
David Clynes—PHF+4
Heather Hansen–PHF+6
Ann Platt—PHF+6
Skip Thomas—PHF+7
Thank you to all those recognized for their generosity to The Rotary Foundation.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Joe Cavanaugh as program speaker at the Thursday, March 22, meeting. Cavanaugh is a nationally known speaker with 30 years of experience working with young people and educators. He is the founder of Youth Frontiers, Inc., a Minnesota-based nonprofit organization that partners with schools to build positive school communities where students thrive socially, emotionally and academically.
Click on the link below for more on the speaker...
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Joe Cavanaugh as program speaker at the Thursday, March 22, meeting. Cavanaugh is a nationally known speaker with 30 years of experience working with young people and educators. He is the founder of Youth Frontiers, Inc., a Minnesota-based nonprofit organization that partners with schools to build positive school communities where students thrive socially, emotionally and academically.
Josh Sprague and his wife, Kelly Sprague, were honored as Major Donors to The Rotary Foundation at the March 1 Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Past president Scott MacDonald presented them with the award, acknowledgement of their generous donations as Paul Harris Fellows to The Rotary Foundation.
Josh Sprague is Secretary for the Rotary Club of Edina, and will be President in 2019-2020.
Congratulations, Josh and Kelly!
Josh and Kelly Sprague receive TRF Major Donor award
The Rotary Club of Edina, along with support of Rotary District 5950 and several area Rotary Clubs, will host a Opioid Awareness Workshop this Thursday, May 3, at the Edina Country Club.
Edina Rotary members were encouraged to register themselves and any guests. Registration for the workshop closed April 27. If you would like to attend but did not register, please contact Josh Sprague or Jennifer Garske.
Lunch will be served at 11:30 a.m. Check-in begins at 11 a.m. Cost for the event is the same as a regular Rotary Club of Edina meeting: Senior Active and Honorary members pay $20 at the door, as do any guests. Regular members have already paid for the meal on their quarterly invoice.
The sponsoring clubs for the event are Bloomington, Buffalo, Eden Prairie Noon, Edina, North Minneapolis and Rogers. Rotary members from clubs other than Rotary Club of Edina will sign up through their home club. They will not pay at the door, their club will be invoiced for their lunch. Other guests should have registered online on our website, and will pay at the door. All registrations are final April 27.
The workshop takes the place of the regular Rotary Club of Edina meeting that day.
Questions? Contact organizer Josh Sprague at josh@joshsprague.com or 612-501-0252.
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website and in our newsletter. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Fred Sylvester as a member in August 2017. Fred's sponsor to the club was Tim Murphy.
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website and in our newsletter. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Mark Stageberg as a member in April 2017. Mark's sponsor to the club was Keith Benson.
The program speakers for the Thursday, March 15, Rotary Club of Edina meeting are Nancy Byers Killilea and Lesley A. Chester. Killilea is the founder of the non-profit Pass Your Parka, which collects donated winter gear to help those in need. Chester is Chief Advancement Officer at House of Charity.
There will be a donation box at the meeting for members and guests to bring their winter gear to be donated to Pass Your Parkas. Please contact Mary Hustad for more information.
For more on the speakers, click on the link below...
The Edina Rotary Foundation recently awarded another $2,800 in grants to two local organizations.
Earlier this year, the Foundation awarded more than $24,000 to eight local organizations. With funding still available, the Foundation gave the Muscular Dystrophy Association $800 for custom water bottles to be distributed at its summer camp for children. Better Futures of Minnesota was given $2,000 for various tools to employ men who desire to turn their lives around.
Grants will be presented at upcoming meetings of the Rotary Club of Edina, which typically meets 12:15 p.m. Thursdays at the Edina Country Club, 5100 Wooddale Ave.
Money for grants awarded by the Edina Rotary Foundation is raised at an annual fall fundraiser and gala and donations made throughout the year.
Edina Rotary awards more grants to local organizations
The City of Edina’s Parks & Recreation Department has ordered the musical instruments to be placed at Rosland Park as one of the Rotary Club of Edina’s signature projects for 2017-2018.
The Edina Rotary Foundation donated $10,000 to the Parks & Recreation Department for musical instruments at the park, 4300 W. 66th St.
The program speakers for the Thursday, March 15, Rotary Club of Edina meeting are Nancy Byers Killilea and Lesley A. Chester. Killilea is the founder of the non-profit Pass Your Park, which collects donated winter gear to help those in need. Chester is Chief Advancement Officer at House of Charity.
There will be a donation box at the meeting for members and guests to bring their winter gear to be donated to Pass Your Parkas. Please contact Mary Hustad for more information.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dr. AnnMarie Thomas as program speaker at the Thursday, March 8, meeting. Thomas is an associate professor in the School of Engineering and Schulze School of Entrepreneurship at the University of St. Thomas. She is also the director of the Playful Learning Lab. She will speak about "Playing to Learn."
For more on the speaker, click on the link below...
The next Rotary Vocational Development Group will be today, Wednesday, March. 7.
Once a month, Edina Rotarians have a chance to connect with other club members, and any guests, at the happy hour. This Rotary event is held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Mezz at the Lunds & Byerly's in Edina. The meeting will feature a brief presentation from a featured Rotarian, plus time for introductions, networking and questions. The featured speaker at the March 7 gathering will be Kelley Burnett. The Rotary Club of Edina and EMRC collaborate on this event.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dr. AnnMarie Thomas as program speaker at the Thursday, March 8, meeting. Thomas is an associate professor in the School of Engineering and Schulze School of Entrepreneurship at the University of St. Thomas. She is also the director of the Playful Learning Lab. She will speak about "Playing to Learn."
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Mike Johnson as the program speaker at the Thursday, March 1, meeting. Johnson will speak about "Drones—What Can They Really Do?" He is the senior vice president of operations for SkySnopes. Johnson is the son of Rotarian Doug Johnson.
Click on the link below for more on the speaker...
The Rotary Club of Edina’s Board of Directors recently approved the applicants below for membership:
Scott Blake
Classification: Business Law
Sponsor: Greg Yoch
Katy Campbell
Classification: Journalism
Sponsor: Sandy Schley
Kevin Koepke
Classification: Debt Recovery
Sponsor: Ann Platt
Toshie Metzger
Classification: Banking Services
Sponsor: Scott MacDonald
Written objections to the application must be submitted before 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 14, to Rotary Club of Edina, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424 or emailed to administrator@EdinaRotary.org.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Mike Johnson as the program speaker at the Thursday, March 1, meeting. Johnson will speak about "Drones—What Can They Really Do?" He is the senior vice president of operations for SkySnopes. Johnson is the son of Rotarian Doug Johnson.
Authors Chris Omodt and Patrick Matter will be program speakers at the Thursday, Feb. 22, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Omodt is a retired captain with the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office and also spent 11 years with the Edina Police Department. Matter is the founder and former president of the Minnesota Chapter of Hells Angels. They are authors of the book, "Breaking the Code."
Click on the link below for more about the speakers...
Authors Chris Omodt and Patrick Matter will be program speakers at the Thursday, Feb. 22, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Omodt is a retired captain with the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office and also spent 11 years with the Edina Police Department. Matter is the founder and former president of the Minnesota Chapter of Hells Angels. They are authors of the book, "Breaking the Code."
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Phil Hansen as program speaker at the Thursday, Feb. 15, meeting. Hansen is the Regional CEO for the American Red Cross Minnesota Region. He will speak about "Down the Street. Across the Country. Around the World. The American Red Cross."
Rotarian Heather Edelson will give her Classification Talk at the meeting.
Click on the link below for more on the speaker...
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Phil Hansen as program speaker at the Thursday, Feb. 15, meeting. Hansen is the Regional CEO for the American Red Cross Minnesota Region. He will speak about "Down the Street. Across the Country. Around the World. The American Red Cross."
Rotarian Heather Edelson will give her Classification Talk at the meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Steve Elkins as program speaker at the Thursday, Feb. 8, meeting. Elkins is a member of the Metropolitan Council. He lives in Bloomington, and represents District 5 on the Met Council, which includes the Hennepin County cities of Bloomington, Edina, Hopkins, and Richfield, and the unorganized territory of Fort Snelling.
Rotarian Bonnie Rolstad will give her Classification Talk at the meeting.
The next Rotary Vocational Development Group will be tonight, Wednesday, Feb. 7.
Once a month, Edina Rotarians have a chance to connect with other club members, and any guests, at the happy hour. This Rotary event is held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Mezz at the Lunds & Byerly's in Edina. The meeting will feature a brief presentation from a featured Rotarian, plus time for introductions, networking and questions. The featured speaker at the Feb. 7 gathering will be Ken Andersen. The Rotary Club of Edina and EMRC collaborate on this event.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Steve Elkins as program speaker at the Thursday, Feb. 8, meeting. Elkins is a member of the Metropolitan Council. He lives in Bloomington, and represents District 5 on the Met Council, which includes the Hennepin County cities of Bloomington, Edina, Hopkins, and Richfield, and the unorganized territory of Fort Snelling.
Rotarian Bonnie Rolstad will give her Classification Talk at the meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dale Kurschner as program speaker at the Thursday, Feb. 1, meeting. Kurschner is editor in chief for Twin Cities Business. He will speak about "The State We're In: Minnesota's Strengths, Challenges and Opportunities."
Click on the link below for more on the speaker...
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dale Kurschner as program speaker at the Thursday, Feb. 1, meeting. Kurschner is editor in chief for Twin Cities Business. He will speak about "The State We're In: Minnesota's Strengths, Challenges and Opportunities."
The Edina Rotary Foundation recently awarded nearly $24,000 in grants to eight local organizations.
Alzheimer’s Association of Minnesota-North Dakota Chapter, Edina Give and Go, Fishing for Life, Hearts & Hands, Inner City Christian Ministries, Oasis for Youth, Open Arms of Minnesota and Volunteers Enlisted to Assist People (VEAP) received grants from the Edina Rotary Foundation. Grants ranged from $1,300 to $6,000.
The Rotary Foundation Director David Clynes, with the help of Public Image Director Dan Hennen and President San Asato, recognized several Rotary Club of Edina members who have made donations to The Rotary Foundation and achieved Paul Harris Fellow status. The following Rotarians were honored:
David Phillips—PHF
Jennifer Shinners—PHF
Kevin Kalal—PHF
Ross Peterson—PHF+1
Wade Thommen—PHF+1
Dale Walker—PHF+1
Nate Wenner—PHF+1
Steve Buettner—PHF+2
Rich Kleber—PHF+2
Bob Gubrud—PHF+3
Dave Hatzung—PHF+4
Les Jones—PHF+4
Marie Pribyl—PHF+4
Sue Spalding—PHF+4
Susan Stiles—PHF+4
Bonnie Rolstad—PHF+5
Ron Erhardt—PHF+6
Mike Kallas—PHF+7
Gerry Norton—PHF+7
Dan Mott—PHF+8
Congratulations to all these Rotarians and their commitment to service, at home and around the world, through The Rotary Foundation.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Tom Anderson as program speaker at the Thursday, Jan. 25, meeting. Anderson is the retired general counsel for the Metropolitan Airports Commission. He retired from MAC in October 2017 after 40 years of service.
New member Jennifer Hendrickson will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Tom Anderson as program speaker at the Thursday, Jan. 25, meeting. Anderson is the retired general counsel for the Metropolitan Airports Commission. He retired from MAC in October 2017 after 40 years of service.
New member Jennifer Hendrickson will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
Click on the link below for more on the speaker...
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Jack Uldrich as program speaker at the Thursday, Jan. 18, meeting. Uldrich is a global futurist and author. He will speak about, "Future-Proofing Minnesota."
The Jan. 18 meeting is Prospective Member Day! All Rotarians are encouraged to bring a friend or colleague to the meeting so they can learn more about our club and Rotary. Lunch for all prospective members is on the club Jan. 18!
New member Stefan Smith will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting. Rotarian Jennifer Shinners will give her Classification Talk as well.
Click on the link below for more on the speaker...
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Jack Uldrich as program speaker at the Thursday, Jan. 18, meeting. Uldrich is a global futurist and author. He will speak about, "Future-Proofing Minnesota."
The Jan. 18 meeting is Prospective Member Day! All Rotarians are encouraged to bring a friend or colleague to the meeting so they can learn more about our club and Rotary. Lunch for all prospective members is on the club Jan. 18!
New member Stefan Smith will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting. Rotarian Jennifer Shinners will give her Classification Talk as well.
The Rotaract Club of Edina will host two local authors at the Wednesday, Dec. 12, meeting. Colton Witte and Sean Bloomfield will speak about their book, "Adventure North." The two Chaska High School graduates canoed 2,200 miles up the Minnesota River to Hudson Bay when they were teenagers.
The club will meet at 5:30 p.m. in the Community Room at Lunds & Byerly's in the 50th and France area of Edina. Rotarians are welcome at this special gathering!
Contact Rotaract President Mark Gasner at Mark@ellingsoncpas.com for more info.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Judy Tullius as the program speaker at the Thursday, Jan. 11, meeting. Tullius is the general manager at Southdale Center in Edina.
Kelley Burnett will give her Classification Talk at the meeting.
Click on the link below for more on the speaker...
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Judy Tullius as the program speaker at the Thursday, Jan. 11, meeting. Tullius is the general manager at Southdale Center in Edina.
Kelley Burnett will give her Classification Talk at the meeting.
The next Rotary Vocational Development Group will be today, Wednesday, Jan. 3.
Once a month, Edina Rotarians have a chance to connect with other club members, and any guests, at the happy hour. This Rotary event is held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Mezz at the Lunds & Byerly's in Edina. This week's Happy Hour will not have a featured speaker, but will be a social hour. The Rotary Club of Edina and EMRC collaborate on this event.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome own own Thom Winninger as the program speaker at this week's meeting, Thursday, Jan. 4. This is the first meeting of 2018. Winninger, a longtime Edina Rotarian, will speak about "Your True DNA—Finding Your Call in Your Work."
Click on the link below for more on the speaker...
The Rotary Club of Edina is supporting a water and sanitation project in the Upper East Region of Ghana.
As part of the project, communities in the area would be provided with 23 deep wells, three small-town water systems, 300 new microflush toilets with hand-washing sinks for homes and one toilet block for a school in the Upper East Region of Ghana.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome own own Thom Winninger as the program speaker at the Thursday, Jan. 4 meeting. This is the first meeting of 2018. Winninger, a longtime Edina Rotarian, will speak about "Your True DNA—Finding Your Call in Your Work."
There are no Rotary meetings on Thursday, Dec. 21 or Dec. 28. The next regular meeting is Jan. 4.
Once again this year, members of the Rotary Club of Edina will ring the Salvation Army bell at Jerry's Foods in Edina! Organized by Dan Hallberg, with the help of Wayne Harmon, teams of Rotarians will ring the bell for five days this week.
Don't miss a chance to put some change in the bucket on these dates:
Monday, Dec. 18, 2 to 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2 to 8 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2 to 8 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 21, 2 to 8 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 22, 2 to 8 p.m.
Thanks to Dan and Wayne for putting this all together and offering Rotarians another way to give to those in need this holiday season. We'll see you at the bucket!
Click on the link for the Rotary ringing schedule...
The Rotary Club of Edina annual Holiday Party will be from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 20, at the Edina Country Club. All Rotarians and significant others (no other guests, please) were invited. Registration has ended for the event, so please contact Steve Slyce or Marty Kupper with questions.
If you would like to donate gifts or gift cards to the annual Rotary Holiday Giving Program, please bring the to the Holiday Party. Rick Carlson will be collecting donations for Cornerstone and 66 West at the event. This is your last chance to donate to the program this year!
There is NO regular Rotary Club of Edina meetings Thursday, Dec. 21 or 28. The next regular meeting is Thursday, Jan. 4.
The Rotary Club of Edina is supporting a water and sanitation project in the Upper East Region of Ghana.
As part of the project, communities in the area would be provided with 23 deep wells, three small-town water systems, 300 new microflush toilets with hand-washing sinks for homes and one toilet block for a school in the Upper East Region of Ghana.
Five area high school students won scholarships during Camp Enterprise last month.
Camp Enterprise, organized by the Rotary Club of Edina and Edina Morningside Rotary Club, provides high school students with a unique opportunity to learn about leadership, business and the free enterprise system.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Rotary District 5950 Governor Bob Halagan as the program speaker at the Thursday, Dec. 14, meeting. This is the last regular Rotary meeting of 2017.
Rotarian Heather Edelson will give her classification talk at the meeting.
There are no other regular Rotary meetings in December. So no meetings Dec. 21 or 28. The annual Holiday Party is Wednesday, Dec. 20.
Click on the link below for more on the speaker...
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Rotary District 5950 Governor Bob Halagan as the program speaker at the Thursday, Dec. 14, meeting. This is the last regular Rotary meeting of 2017.
Rotarian Heather Edelson will give her classification talk at the meeting.
There are no other regular Rotary meetings in December. So no meetings Dec. 21 or 28. The annual Holiday Party is Wednesday, Dec. 20.
We had some special guests at the Dec. 7 Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Moses Mwaura and his uncle and aunt, David and Subira Waithaka, visited us from Kenya to give us an update on how Moses is doing, all these years after he first visited Minnesota to have his eyes fixed and work his way into the hearts of so many Minnesotans. Rotarians Tim Murphy and Sandy Schley told us all about Moses and our club's connection to him in a program titled, "A World, a Way, the Story of Moses."
There were some local media in attendance at the meeting to also check in on Moses. To read the story from the Star Tribune, click here.
To watch the video of KARE 11's story on Moses, click here.
To read the story from the Edina Sun-Current, click here.
The Rotary Club of Edina will have a special program for the Thursday, Dec. 7, meeting. Rotarians Tim Murphy and Sandy Schley will present “A World, A Way; The Story of Moses.” They will tell the story of how a 3 year-old Kenyan boy's life is changed forever after meeting Past District Governor Schley in the Mathare Valley slum of Nairobi Kenya in 2007. Tim and Sandy will share what led up his trip to the United States for eye surgery and extensive dental work in 2010. Since then, the continued generosity of Rotarians in the Twin Cities is providing his education and a life outside the slums back in Kenya.
Special Guests will be Moses Mwaura, his uncle David Waithaka and partner Subira.
Rotarian Susan Stiles will give her classification talk at the meeting.
The next Rotary Vocational Development Group is tomorrow, Thursday, Dec. 7. Note that the gathering will be held on Thursday instead of the usual Wednesday.
Once a month, Edina Rotarians have a chance to connect with other club members, and any guests, at the happy hour. This Rotary event is held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Mezz at the Lunds & Byerly's in Edina. The meeting will feature a brief presentation from a featured Rotarian, plus time for introductions, networking and questions. The speaker for the Thursday, Dec. 7, gathering will be Fred Sylvester, a longtime Rotarian but newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina. The Rotary Club of Edina and EMRC collaborate on this event.
The Rotary Club of Edina will have a special program for the Thursday, Dec. 7, meeting. Rotarians Tim Murphy and Sandy Schley will present “A World, A Way; The Story of Moses.” They will tell the story of how a 3 year-old Kenyan boy's life is changed forever after meeting Past District Governor Schley in the Mathare Valley slum of Nairobi Kenya in 2007. Tim and Sandy will share what led up his trip to the United States for eye surgery and extensive dental work in 2010. Since then, the continued generosity of Rotarians in the Twin Cities is providing his education and a life outside the slums back in Kenya.
Special Guests will be Moses Mwaura, his uncle David Waithaka and partner Subira.
Rotarian Susan Stiles will give her classification talk at the meeting.
The annual Thanksgiving Baskets celebration was held on Thanksgiving Eve, Wednesday, Nov. 22, when Rotarians, friends and family from both the Rotary Club of Edina and Edina Morningside Rotary Club gathered at Edina Country Club. Noticeably absent was Henrietta the Turkey…
There were 165 Rotarians and guests at the event—113 from our club, 47 from EMRC and 5 Interact students. This was a record-setting crowd, according to Thanksgiving Baskets organizer Michael Stanzak. The clubs assembled and delivered 80 baskets to those in need in the community.
For more on the event, click on this link to view a City of Edina video.
Edina Morningside Rotary Club will host our club for the annual fall joint meeting this Tuesday, Nov. 28. EMRC meets from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at the Edina Country Club. A breakfast buffet will be served.
The program at the joint meeting will be a panel discussion on the Opioid Epidemic. Participating will be Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek; Lexi Reed Holtum, executive director of the Steve Rummler Hope Network; and Rob Reynolds, Director of Advocacy for Verde Technologies, which helps organizations implement Deterra into their operations. Reynolds was also Eden Prairie Police Chief for nine years.
Moderating the discussion will be EMRC member John D. Pastor III, director of Fairview Pharmacy Services.
All Edina Rotarians are encouraged to attend. There is NO Rotary Club of Edina meeting Thursday, Nov. 30.
The Rotary Club of Edina’s Board of Directors recently approved the applicants below for membership:
Jennifer Hendrickson
Classification: Non-Profit Fundraising
Sponsor: Rick Carlson
Stefan Smith
Classification: Financial Advisory
Sponsor: Thom Winninger
Written objections to the application must be submitted before 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6, to Rotary Club of Edina, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424 or emailed to administrator@EdinaRotary.org.
The annual Thanksgiving Baskets Assembly is tomorrow, Wednesday, Nov. 22, at the Edina Country Club. Our club will partner with Edina Morningside Rotary Club again this year to assemble and deliver baskets to those in need. We will gather at 11:45 a.m. for lunch, and then will begin assembling the Thanksgiving baskets for area families in need after that. Volunteers are needed for the basket assembly, as well as deliveries after the event.
Bring friends and family to join in lunch, assembly of baskets and delivery. Registration has closed for the event. Cost for lunch is $20 for Senior Active, Honorary and adult guests. Children cost $12.
Contact Michael Stanzak or Mary Hustad with info about who you would like to be paired up with for deliveries or for more information about the event, or if you did not register and would like to attend. Baskets are delivered to families in Edina, and north and south Minneapolis.
There is NO Rotary Club of Edina meeting on Thursday, Nov. 23, due to the Thanksgiving holiday.
The annual Thanksgiving Baskets Assembly will be this Wednesday, Nov. 22, at the Edina Country Club. Our club will partner with Edina Morningside Rotary Club again this year to assemble and deliver baskets to those in need. We will gather at 11:45 a.m. for lunch, and then will begin assembling the Thanksgiving baskets for area families in need after that. Volunteers are needed for the basket assembly, as well as deliveries after the event.
Bring friends and family to join in lunch, assembly of baskets and delivery. Registration has closed for the event. Cost for lunch is $20 for Senior Active, Honorary and adult guests. Children cost $12.
Contact Michael Stanzak or Mary Hustad with info about who you would like to be paired up with for deliveries or for more information about the event, or if you did not register and would like to attend. Baskets are delivered to families in Edina, and north and south Minneapolis.
There is NO Rotary Club of Edina meeting on Thursday, Nov. 23, due to the Thanksgiving holiday.
Thanksgiving Baskets Assembly is this Wednesday, Nov. 22
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Ravi Norman as the program speaker at the Thursday, Nov. 16, meeting. Norman is the CEO of THOR Companies. He will speak about "Build/Transform/Sustain."
Rotarian Mark Stageberg will give his Classification Talk at the meeting.
Click on the link below for more on the speaker...
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Ravi Norman as the program speaker at the Thursday, Nov. 16, meeting. Norman is the CEO of THOR Companies. He will speak about "Build/Transform/Sustain."
Rotarian Mark Stageberg will give his Classification Talk at the meeting.
Nov. 11, 1918—The "eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month" of 1918 marked the cessation of hostilities in World War I—the war to end all wars. A year later in 1919, the first anniversary of Armistice Day was held at Buckingham Palace as Remembrance Day or Poppy Day, a day to remember the members of the armed forces who died in the line of duty in all wars. At the end of the Korean War, the United States began referring to this day as Veterans Day.
On this day, members and guests of the southwest metro Rotary clubs (Bloomington Noon, Eden Prairie AM, Eden Prairie Noon, Edina Morningside, Edina, Richfield and South Metro Minneapolis Evening) gathered for the Area 3 Rotary Veterans Day Luncheon as military anthems were played in the background by the Rotary Brass Quintet, led by Mary Bindle of the Edina Morningside Rotary Club.
Camp Enterprise, a business camp for high school students, kicked off Nov. 2 and concluded Nov. 4. This was the 38th annual Camp Enterprise. According to initial feedback from students, it was very successful.
Sponsored by the Rotary Clubs in Districts 5950 and 5960, which covers the entire Twin Cities area, Camp Enterprise is an extensive three-day camp offering students the opportunity to participate in leadership activities focusing on the free enterprise system.
The annual Area 3 Rotary Veterans Luncheon is set for tomorrow, Thursday, Nov. 9, at Bearpath Golf and Country Club, 18100 Bearpath Trail, Eden Prairie, MN 55347. Check-in begins at 11 a.m. with live music, with the luncheon beginning at 11:15 and concluding at 1:15 p.m.
The registration deadline for the event has passed. If you did not sign up, contact President-Elect John Flynn.
The featured speaker at the event is Major Gen. Robert Shadley of the U.S. Army. Former Edina Rotarian retired Gen. Denny Schulstad, U.S. Air Force, will emcee the event.
Each Rotarian could invite up to two veterans as guests of our club, and Senior Active and Honorary Rotarians who are veterans may attend free of charge. Cost for guests that are not veterans will be $25. Senior Active or Honorary members who are not veterans will be charged the usual $20.
There is no Rotary Club of Edina meeting on Thursday, Nov. 9, at the Edina Country Club. All members are encouraged to attend the Veterans Luncheon.
The annual Area 3 Rotary Veterans Luncheon is set for Thursday, Nov. 9, at Bearpath Golf and Country Club, 18100 Bearpath Trail, Eden Prairie, MN 55347. Check-in begins at 11 a.m. with live music, with the luncheon beginning at 11:15 and concluding at 1:15 p.m.
The registration deadline for the event has passed. If you did not sign up, contact President-Elect John Flynn.
The featured speaker at the event is Major Gen. Robert Shadley of the U.S. Army. Former Edina Rotarian retired Gen. Denny Schulstad, U.S. Air Force, will emcee the event.
Each Rotarian could invite up to two veterans as guests of our club, and Senior Active and Honorary Rotarians who are veterans may attend free of charge. Cost for guests that are not veterans will be $25. Senior Active or Honorary members who are not veterans will be charged the usual $20.
There is no Rotary Club of Edina meeting on Thursday, Nov. 9, at the Edina Country Club. All members are encouraged to attend the Veterans Luncheon.
The Edina Rotary Foundation recently awarded a grant to The Salvation Army to be used for hurricane recovery efforts.
The Foundation in late October awarded a grant of $3,250 to the Salvation Army. In the wake of the devastation caused by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria and Nate, The Salvation Army responded with one of the largest disaster relief operations in its history.
The grant was initiated by the Rotary Club of Edina’s Community Service–Local Funding Committee.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dan Pollock as program speaker at the Thursday, Nov. 2, meeting. Pollock is the Deputy Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Health. He will speak about "What Creates Better Health? A Story in Three Chapters."
Scott Hawkins will give his classification talk at the meeting.
Click on the link below for more on the speaker...
More than 20 Edina Rotarians volunteered at Feed My Starving Children in Chanhassen Saturday, Oct. 28. According to Joe Arends, Community Service—Local Projects Director, the volunteers packed 138 boxes which contained 29,808 meals! This would feed 82 kids for one year. The total cost would be $6,558 at 22 cents a meal.
Thanks to all the Rotarians, family and friends who came through to help us with the annual event!
The Edina Rotary Foundation recently awarded a grant to The Salvation Army to be used for hurricane recovery efforts.
The Foundation in late October awarded a grant of $3,250 to the Salvation Army. In the wake of the devastation caused by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria and Nate, The Salvation Army responded with one of the largest disaster relief operations in its history.
The grant was initiated by the Rotary Club of Edina’s Community Service–Local Funding Committee.
The committee is currently accepting grants for other projects in Edina and the communities that border it. Applications are due Oct. 31. Grant applications are available online at www.EdinaRotary.org or by contacting Directors Brandon Azbill, brandon@davidazbillgroup.com, or Paul Peterson, paul@paulpeterson.com. Completed applications should be emailed to Azbill or Peterson or sent to Edina Rotary Foundation, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dan Pollock as program speaker at the Thursday, Nov. 2, meeting. Pollock is the Deputy Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Health. He will speak about "What Creates Better Health? A Story in Three Chapters."
Scott Hawkins will give his classification talk at the meeting.
The Edina City Council has declared Oct. 24 “World Polio Day,” encouraging residents to join Rotary International in the fight for a polio-free world.
In 1985, Rotary launched PolioPlus and spearheaded the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, which today includes the World Health Organization, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to immunize the children of the world against polio. There will be a live stream hosted by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on World Polio Day, Tuesday, Oct. 24. Click on the link below to read more about the event.
Rotary International encourages regular “assemblies” to train, exchange ideas and celebrate accomplishments. Clubs are encouraged to have at least two per year to inform and excite Rotarians. The Rotary Club of Edina will hold one at its meeting Thursday, Oct. 26.
Led by Past President Jennifer Bennerotte, the fall Club Assembly will focus on committees, Rotary International’s new requirement for reporting service hours, the club’s grant-making process and 2017–2018 signature projects, and more. Bring your smartphone or tablet to this special meeting for an online game we will play during the meeting. Learn more about the club and its projects and processes, share ideas and win a prize!
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Katie Clark Sieben as program speaker this Thursday, Oct. 19. Clark Sieben is an economic development consultant with the City of Edina. She will speak about "The Grandview Green Project."
This week is also Prospective Member Day! All Rotarians are encouraged to bring a friend or colleague that is intersted in learning more about our club and Rotary. All prospective members get lunch on the club at this week's meeting! Contact Membership Director Greg Yoch with questions.
Returning member Dick Teegen and new member Rich Kleber will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Katie Clark Sieben as program speaker this Thursday, Oct. 19. Clark Sieben is an economic development consultant with the City of Edina. She will speak about "The Grandview Green Project."
This week is also Prospective Member Day! All Rotarians are encouraged to bring a friend or colleague that is intersted in learning more about our club and Rotary. All prospective members get lunch on the club at this week's meeting! Contact Membership Director Greg Yoch with questions.
Returning member Dick Teegen and new member Rich Kleber will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
For more on the speaker, click on the link below...
The Rotary Club of Edina celebrated the club's 60th Anniversary at their meeting Oct. 5. The Diamond Jubilee was marked with a special meeting featuring a video honoring all the past presidents of the club, special recognition of the longest serving members and the membership pillars, a program on the history of the club by Edina Historical Society Executive Director Jennifer Adam and congratulatory remarks from Irene Kelly, the District 5950 Governor-Elect. For a recap of the celebration, click on the link.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Tina Rexing as program speaker at the Thursday, Oct. 12, meeting. Rexing is founder of the T-Rex Cooking Company. She'll speak about entrepreneurship in a talk titled "#Size Matters: Telling Your Story, Selling Your Story."
Wooj Byun, a past president of our club, will give a Six-Carat Talk at the meeting, in honor of our Diamond Jubilee 60th Anniversary year.
For more on the speaker, click on the link below...
At its 60th anniversary celebration Oct. 5, the Rotary Club of Edina recognized its longest-serving members, Don Erickson and Frank Cardarelle.
The Rotary Club of Edina was formed in August of 1957, and its Charter Night held Oct. 7 of that year. Erickson and Cardarelle were both part of that milestone, with Erickson joining on Aug. 26, 1957, and Cardarelle joining on Aug. 27, 1957.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Tina Rexing as program speaker at the Thursday, Oct. 12, meeting. Rexing is founder of the T-Rex Cookie Company. She'll speak about entrepreneurship in a talk titled "#Size Matters: Telling Your Story, Selling Your Story."
Wooj Byun, a past president of our club, will give a Six-Carat Talk at the meeting, in honor of our Diamond Jubilee 60th Anniversary year.
Tomorrow we will celebrate the Rotary Club of Edina's 60th anniversary! At the meeting celebrating 60 years of Service Above Self (1957–2017) Thursday, Oct. 5, at the Edina Country Club, our Charter Members and Past Presidents will be recognized and Edina Historical Society Executive Director Jennifer Adam will give a presentation on the Club's history.
We asked all members and guests to register if they planned to attend the celebration. Registration has now closed. Please contact Marty Kupper or Jennifer Garske with questions.
WHEN: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. tomorrow, Thursday, Oct. 5
WHERE: Edina Country Club
WHO: All Rotarians and any guests are welcome
INFO: Edina Morningside and South Metro Minneapolis Evenings Rotary clubs are holding their fifth annual Oktoberfest Fundraiser! This charity beer tasting event raises funds for the EMRC and SMME Rotary foundations and will go toward worthwhile projects around the globe and in our backyard.
COST: $40 in advance online/$45 at the door. Fee includes local craft beer sampling, appetizers and a souvenir Rotary tasting glass.
The next Rotary Vocational Development Group will be Wednesday, Nov. 1. There is no happy hour tonight.
Most months Edina Rotarians have a chance to connect with other club members, and any guests, at the happy hour. This Rotary event is held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Mezz at the Lunds & Byerly's in Edina. The meeting will feature a brief presentation from a featured Rotarian, plus time for introductions, networking and questions. The speaker for the Wednesday, Nov. 1, gathering will be John Paster from Edina Morningside Rotary Club. The Rotary Club of Edina and EMRC collaborate on this event.
There is no Rotary Happy Hour in October.
Please click on the link below for more on the event...
The Rotary Clubs of Edina and Edina Morningside are hosting three Youth Exchange students this school year. All are attending Edina High School. Susmita Gautam, Seo-jun "Sam" Lee and Francisco "Paco" Tebar-Gomez are the students visiting Edina this school year.
The local Rotary clubs also helped place four Edina teens in other countries as part of the Youth Exchange program.
For more on the students and the Rotary Youth Exchange program, click on the link below.
From Edina Rotary Foundation Fundraiser & Gala "Diamond Jubilee" Co-Chairs Don Hutchison and Lisa Walker:
As we await final results regarding the numbers from our Sept. 23 Fundraiser & Gala, we wish to express our gratitude and appreciation to all of the volunteers from our club who made last Saturday evening at the Sheraton Bloomington Hotel a wonderful, enjoyable and inspiring experience!
Join us in celebrating the Rotary Club of Edina's 60th anniversary! We will celebrate 60 years of Service Above Self (1957–2017) Thursday, Oct. 5, at the Edina Country Club. Our Charter Members and Past Presidents will be recognized and Edina Historical Society Executive Director Jennifer Adam will give a presentation on the Club's history.
We are asking all members and guests to register so we can plan for the event. Please go here to register. This Friday, Sept. 29, is the last day to register to attend.
The Rotary Club of Edina’s Board of Directors recently approved the applicants below for membership:
Rich Kleber
Classification: Financial Advisory
Sponsor: David Clynes
Written objections to the application must be submitted before 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 11, to Rotary Club of Edina, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424 or emailed to administrator@EdinaRotary.org.
The Edina Rotary Foundation Fundraiser & Gala is just around the corner (Saturday night, Sept. 23, at The Sheraton Bloomington Hotel), and for those of you attending we have a great Live and Silent Auction line up for you!
Go here for all the Live Auction items up for bid!
Go here for the full list of Silent Auction items!
Make your bidding plan and we'll see you Saturday evening for the premiere event of the Rotary year!
Celebrating the 60th anniversary of service to the community, the Edina Rotary Foundation will host its annual fundraiser and gala this Saturday, Sept. 23. This year's fundraising event, dubbed “Diamond Jubilee,” will be held 6-10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, at the Sheraton Bloomington Hotel, 5601 W. 78th St. The event will feature silent and live auctions, raffle, dinner and entertainment by “Deuces Wild!” dueling pianos.
All proceeds from the event will be used for local and international service projects of the Rotary Club of Edina. The ticket purchasing deadline has passed. If you have questions on your tickets or registration, contact Jennifer Bennerotte or Jennifer Garske.
Tim Mulcrone and our own Tom McNellis will be the program speakers at the this week's Rotary Club of Edina meeting, Thursday, Sept. 28. They will speak about The Rotary Foundation's PolioPlus program. Mulcrone is the Rotary District 5950 Polio Chair, a post he has held for six years. He is a member of the Chanhassen Rotary Club. McNellis is a longtime Rotary Club of Edina member and a Major Donor to TRF.
New members Jake Johnson and Dave Phillips will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
Tim Mulcrone and our own Tom McNellis will be the program speakers at the Thursday, Sept. 28, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. They will speak about The Rotary Foundation's PolioPlus program. Mulcrone is the Rotary District 5950 Polio Chair, a post he has held for six years. He is a member of the Chanhassen Rotary Club. McNellis is a longtime Rotary Club of Edina member and a Major Donor to TRF.
New members Jake Johnson and Dave Phillips will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
Celebrating the 60th anniversary of service to the community, the Edina Rotary Foundation will host its annual fundraiser and gala Saturday, Sept. 23. This year's fundraising event, dubbed “Diamond Jubilee,” will be held 6-10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, at the Sheraton Bloomington Hotel, 5601 W. 78th St. The event will feature silent and live auctions, raffle, dinner and entertainment by “Deuces Wild!” dueling pianos.
All proceeds from the event will be used for local and international service projects of the Rotary Club of Edina. The ticket purchasing deadline has passed. If you have questions on your tickets or registration, contact Jennifer Bennerotte or Jennifer Garske.
All Edina Rotarians are invited to Rotary After Hours this Friday, Sept. 15! Family members, other Rotarians, prospective Rotarians and friends are welcome!
Rotary After Hours is a happy hour held the third Friday of the month from 4 to 6 p.m. This casual gathering is open to any Edina Rotarian—brand-new to long-time members! The club will have tables reserved at Pinstripes in Edina, but all food and drinks will be the responsibility of members and guests who attend. Dan Hennen will be hosting this event.
Contact Royce Pavelka for more information. Let's get social, club members!
John Schultz, Superintendent of Edina Public Schools, will be the program speaker at the Thursday, Sept. 14, meeting of the Rotary Club of Edina. He will speak about "My Warm Welcome to Edina."
There will be no regular Rotary Club of Edina meeting Thursday, Sept. 21, due to the Edina Rotary Foundation Fundraiser & Gala "Diamond Jubilee" Saturday, Sept. 23.
The Rotary Club of Edina’s Board of Directors recently approved the applicants below for membership:
Dick Teegen
Classification: Sales
Sponsor: Tim Murphy
Written objections to the application must be submitted before 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 27, to Rotary Club of Edina, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424 or emailed to administrator@EdinaRotary.org.
John Schultz, Superintendent of Edina Public Schools, will be the program speaker at the Thursday, Sept. 14, meeting of the Rotary Club of Edina. He will speak about "My Warm Welcome to Edina."
There will be no regular Rotary Club of Edina meeting Thursday, Sept. 21, due to the Edina Rotary Foundation Fundraiser & Gala "Diamond Jubilee" Saturday, Sept. 23. Make sure you register and purchase your tickets by Thursday, Sept. 14!
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website and in our newsletter. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Theresa Bea Halverson as a member in March 2017. Theresa's sponsor to the club was Sutton McGraw. Click on the link to read more about Theresa...
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website and in our newsletter. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Ian Colville as a member in May 2016. Ian's sponsor to the club was Josh Sprague. Click on the link for more about Ian...
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website and in our newsletter. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Theresa Bea Halverson as a member in March 2017. Theresa's sponsor to the club was Sutton McGraw.
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website and in our newsletter. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Ian Colville as a member in May 2016. Ian's sponsor to the club was Josh Sprague.
The next Rotary Vocational Development Group will be tonight, Wednesday, Sept. 6.
Once a month, Edina Rotarians have a chance to connect with other club members, and any guests, at the happy hour. This Rotary event is held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Mezz at the Lunds & Byerly's in Edina. The meeting will feature a brief presentation from a featured Rotarian, plus time for introductions, networking and questions. The speaker for the Wednesday, Sept. 6, gathering will be Skip Thomas. The Rotary Club of Edina and EMRC collaborate on this event.
The Rotary Club of Edina is supporting a project of the Rotary Club of Minneapolis to build female pit latrines and washing facilities at a school in South Sudan and distribute sanitary pad kits and teach a feminine hygiene course to female students there.
The Rotary Club of Edina will contribute $2,000 toward the construction and education project, which is estimated to cost $15,000. The project is scheduled to begin in October and be complete by June 1, 2018.
For more on the project, click on the link below...
Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Frank Vascellaro as program speaker at the Thursday, Sept. 7, meeting. Vascellaro is a television news anchor at WCCO in the Twin Cities. He will speak about "Q & A in Interesting Times."
Longtime member Frank Cardarelle will give a Six-Carat Diamond Talk at the meeting.
For more on the speaker, click on the link below...
Join us in celebrating the Rotary Club of Edina's 60th anniversary! We will celebrate 60 years of Service Above Self (1957–2017) this Thursday, Oct. 5, at the Edina Country Club. Our longest-serving members and Past Presidents will be recognized and Edina Historical Society Executive Director Jennifer Adam will give a presentation on the Club's history.
We asked all members and guests to register if they planned to attend the celebration. Registration has now closed. Please contact Marty Kupper or Jennifer Garske with questions.
The Rotary Club of Edina is supporting a project of the Rotary Club of Minneapolis to build female pit latrines and washing facilities at a school in South Sudan and distribute sanitary pad kits and teach a feminine hygiene course to female students there.
The Rotary Club of Edina will contribute $2,000 toward the construction and education project, which is estimated to cost $15,000. The project is scheduled to begin in October and be complete by June 1, 2018.
Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Frank Vascellaro as program speaker at the Thursday, Sept. 7, meeting. Vascellaro is a television news anchor at WCCO in the Twin Cities. He will speak about "Q & A in Interesting Times."
Longtime member Frank Cardarelle will give a Six-Carat Diamond Talk at the meeting.
Barry Rassin of the Rotary Club of East Nassau, New Providence, Bahamas, is the selection of the Nominating Committee for President of Rotary International for 2018–2019. He will be declared the president-elect on Sept. 1, 2017 if no challenging candidates have been suggested.
As president, Rassin aims to strengthen our public image and our use of digital tools to maximize Rotary’s reach.
“Those who know what good Rotary clubs do will want to be a part of it, and we must find new models for membership that allow all interested in our mission to participate,” he says. “With Rotary more in the public eye, we will attract more individuals who want to be part of and support a membership organization that accomplishes so much good around the world.”
The Rotary Club of Edina is collecting sewing and knitting supplies to create a sewing center in Uganda near one of the largest refugee camps in the world. Donations can be dropped off at the Edina Chamber of Commerce, 3300 Edinborough Way, or at the club’s weekly 12:15 p.m. Thursday meeting at the Edina Country Club, 5100 Wooddale Ave.
The project is being spearheaded by the Rotary Club of Maple Grove. Rotarians are collecting sewing machines, fabric, thread, needles, scissors, buttons, yarn, knitting needles, crochet hooks and other sewing, knitting and crocheting supplies.
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.
Grant applications are available online at www.EdinaRotary.org or by contacting Directors Brandon Azbill, brandon@davidazbillgroup.com, or Paul Peterson, paul@paulpeterson.com. Completed applications should be emailed to Azbill or Peterson or sent to Edina Rotary Foundation, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424.
The Rotary Club of Edina is collecting sewing and knitting supplies to create a sewing center in Uganda near one of the largest refugee camps in the world. Donations can be dropped off at the Edina Chamber of Commerce, 3300 Edinborough Way, or at the club’s weekly 12:15 p.m. Thursday meeting at the Edina Country Club, 5100 Wooddale Ave.
The project is being spearheaded by the Rotary Club of Maple Grove. Rotarians are collecting sewing machines, fabric, thread, needles, scissors, buttons, yarn, knitting needles, crochet hooks and other sewing, knitting and crocheting supplies.
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.
Grant applications are available online at www.EdinaRotary.org or by contacting Directors Brandon Azbill, brandon@davidazbillgroup.com, or Paul Peterson, paul@paulpeterson.com. Completed applications should be emailed to Azbill or Peterson or sent to Edina Rotary Foundation, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Chris O'Brien as program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 31, meeting. O'Brien is the Chief Commercial Officer for C.H. Robinson. He will speak about "Getting it There: The Supply Chain and Transportation Industry and the Minneapolis Company That Has Been Empowering It For 112 Years."
Click on the link below for more on the speaker...
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Chris O'Brien as program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 31, meeting. O'Brien is the Chief Commercial Officer for C.H. Robinson. He will speak about "Getting it There: The Supply Chain and Transportation Industry and the Minneapolis Company That Has Been Empowering It For 112 Years."
The Rotary Club of Edina’s Board of Directors recently approved the applicants below for membership:
Jake Johnson
Classification: Banking
Sponsor: Ann Platt
Dave Phillips
Classification: Law
Sponsor: Sandy Schley
Susan Stiles
Classification: Financial Services
Sponsor: Josh Sprague
Dan Stolfa
Classification: Financial Services
Sponsor: Josh Sprague
Written objections to the application must be submitted before 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 6, to Rotary Club of Edina, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Laura Kelly as program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 24, meeting. Kelly is CEO and Managing Partner of Keyot, a regional consulting firm focused on creating relationships between workforce and client organizations where every consultant can be an “A” player. She will speak about "Integrating Millennials into Corporate America."
New member Bonnie Rolstad will be officially inducted into the club on Thursday.
Click on the link below for more on the speaker...
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Laura Kelly as program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 24, meeting. Kelly is CEO and Managing Partner of Keyot, a regional consulting firm focused on creating relationships between workforce and client organizations where every consultant can be an “A” player. She will speak about "Integrating Millennials into Corporate America."
New member Bonnie Rolstad will be officially inducted into the club on Thursday.
Satoru “San” Asato was recently inducted as President of the Rotary Club of Edina.
Rotary International begins its fiscal year July 1. At a year-end meeting June 29, the Rotary Club of Edina’s officers and committee leaders were introduced. Officers include Asato; President-Elect John Flynn, Treasurer Josh Sprague, Secretary Sam Thompson and Past-President Ann Platt. Rotary Club of Edina and Edina Rotary Foundation were also introduced.
Recent Edina High School graduate Nate Zachman was recently presented a $1,000 scholarship from the Rotary Clubs of Edina and Edina Morningside. The clubs annually present a scholarship to a student who had participated and excelled in the Students Taking Renewed Interest in the Value of Edina (STRIVE) program at the high school.
The Youth Exchange Committee are excited to welcome three Youth Exchange students to Edina this month! Sam from South Korea has already arrived, and Susmita from Nepal and Paco from Spain will be here soon.
We are still looking for a fall host family , so if you are interested and able, please contact Heather Hansen at 612-366-0051.
The Aug. 17 meeting was a very special meeting with Neel Kashkari, President of the Federal Reserve Bank in Minneapolis, as our speaker. Many guests from Area 3 Rotary clubs were in attendance, with more than 230 people present to hear Mr. Kashkari, including District Governor Elect Irene Kelly, District Governor Nominee Russ Michaletz, Edina Mayor Jim Hovland and State Rep. Laurie Pryor from District 48A.
Click on the link below to read more about the meeting...
The Rotary Club of Edina met Wednesday, Aug. 16, for the second meeting of the new Rotary year. Read on for a recap of the meeting.
Membership of the Rotary Club of Edina continues to grow.
The Board of Directors at its Aug. 16 meeting approved postings for four prospective members. Jake Johnson, sponsored by Ann Platt, would have a classification of “Banking.” Dave Phillips, sponsored by Sandy Schley, would have a classification of “Law.” Susan Stiles and Dan Stolfa, sponsored by Josh Sprague, would share a membership and the classification of “Financial Services.”
Click on the link below to read more about the meeting...
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Luke Shimp as program speaker at this week's meeting, Thursday, Aug. 10. Shimp is president and owner of Red Cow, which operates four Red Cow "21st Century Taverns" in the Twin Cities, and Red Rabbit restaurant in the North Loop of Minneapolis. The program topic will be "A Conversation about Growth with Luke Shimp."
For more on the speaker, click on the link below...
Photographer Polly Norman will take portraits of Rotarians before the club's meeting this week, Aug. 10. Photos will be used in the Club Directory and in President San Asato's weekly meeting presentation. Please arrive between 11:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m., prepared to have your photo taken.
If you would prefer to submit a photo, please send it to Past President Jennifer Bennerotte as soon as possible. Photos should be in color, high-resolution and taken in the past three years. Professional portraits are preferred.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Luke Shimp as program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 10, meeting. Shimp is president and owner of Red Cow, which operates four Red Cow "21st Century Taverns" in the Twin Cities, and Red Rabbit restaurant in the North Loop of Minneapolis. The program topic will be "A Conversation about Growth with Luke Shimp."
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Mark Coyle as the program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 3, meeting. Coyle is the Director of Athletics at the University of Minnesota. He will give a "Gopher Sports Update."
Our "Six-Carat Diamond Talks" will continue this week with Bill Clynes speaking at the meeting.
For more on the speaker, click on the link below...
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Mark Coyle as the program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 3, meeting. Coyle is the Director of Athletics at the University of Minnesota. He will give a "Gopher Sports Update."
Our "Six-Carat Diamond Talks" will continue this week with Bill Clynes speaking at the meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina’s Board of Directors recently approved the applicants below for membership:
Kelly Anderson
Classification: HR Outsourcing
Sponsor: John Buttolph
Bonnie Rolstad
Classification: Online Nursing Education
Sponsor: Greg Yoch
Fred Sylvester
Classification: Commercial Banking
Sponsor: Tim Murphy
Written objections to the application must be submitted before 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 9, to Rotary Club of Edina, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424.
Clyde Doepner, the curator for the Minnesota Twins, will be the program speaker at the Thursday, July 27, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Doepner will speak about "How Do I Know a Twins Jersey Is Real?" Doepner has been with the Twins since 2009.
For more on the meeting, click on the link below...
Photographer Polly Norman will take portraits of Rotarians before the club's Aug. 10 meeting. Photos will be used in the Club Directory and in President San Asato's weekly meeting presentation. Please arrive between 11:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m., prepared to have your photo taken.
If you would prefer to submit a photo, please send it to Past President Jennifer Bennerotte as soon as possible. Photos should be in color, high-resolution and taken in the past three years. Professional portraits are preferred.
Clyde Doepner, the curator for the Minnesota Twins, will be the program speaker at the Thursday, July 27, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Doepner will speak about "How Do I Know a Twins Jersey Is Real?" Doepner has been with the Twins since 2009.
The Rotary Club of Edina will host Neel Kashkari, president of the Federal Reserve Bank in Minneapolis, as program speaker at next week's meeting, Thursday, Aug. 17, meeting. Our club has invited all Area 3 and 5 Rotary clubs to attend this meeting. For planning purposes, Edina Rotarians are asked to please register here if they plan to attend. We expect more than 250 Rotarians and guests to attend this meeting, so we need all those who plan to be there Aug. 17 to register online. The deadline for registering is noon Friday, Aug. 11.
Members of other Rotary clubs are asked to register with their club presidents.
If you would like to attend as a guest or have other questions on registration, contact Marty Kupper. Thank you!
The Rotary Club of Edina will receive an update on the International Service project in Guatemala at the Thursday, June 20, meeting. Rotarian Gary Pedersen spearheaded our club's water sanitation project in Guatemala, which has achieved a Rotary International Global Grant and involved donations from many area Rotary clubs. Gary and the International Service Committee has been working on the project for three years.
Also speaking at the meeting are representatives of OneVillage Partners—founder Jeff Hall and executive Director Jill LaLonde. They will speak about "Rotary Partnership with OneVillage Partners in Sierra Leone," and give members info about another upcoming International Service project with our club.
For more on the meeting, click on the link below...
The Rotary Club of Edina will receive an update on the International Service project in Guatemala at the Thursday, June 20, meeting. Rotarian Gary Pedersen spearheaded our club's water sanitation project in Guatemala, which has achieved a Rotary International Global Grant and involved donations from many area Rotary clubs. Gary and the International Service Committee has been working on the project for three years.
Also speaking at the meeting are representatives of OneVillage Partners—founder Jeff Hall and executive Director Jill LaLonde. They will speak about "Rotary Partnership with OneVillage Partners in Sierra Leone," and give members info about another International Service project.
President San Asato and his wife, Sheila Asato, rode in Dave Hatzung's convertible in the Fourth of July parade in Edina. Joining San and Sheila were Rotarians carrying the "Rotarians are Every Day Super Heroes" banner and handing out pencils and candy, while accompanied by costumed super heroes! Thanks to Dan Hennen, Josh Sprague and family and Greg Yoch for handling parade duties, along with San and Dave! Other Rotarians also took part in the parade, such as Tim Murphy and Grandview Tire & Auto and Ann and Jim Platt and Pets Are Inn, and many others.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dr. Nancy Cummings as program speaker at the first meeting of the new Rotary year, Thursday, July 13. Cummings is an assistant professor of orthopedics at Mayo Clinic and is the head orthopedic team physician for the Minnesota Lynx. She will speak about "Youth Sports Injuries—Single vs. Multi-Sport Athletes."
For more on the speaker, click on the link below...
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dr. Nancy Cummings as program speaker at the first meeting of the new Rotary year, Thursday, July 13. Cummings is an assistant professor of orthopedics at Mayo Clinic and is the head orthopedic team physician for the Minnesota Lynx. She will speak about "Youth Sports Injuries—Single vs. Multi-Sport Athletes."
This will be the first meeting of new President San Asato's Rotary year, July 2017 through June 2018.
There is no Rotary Club of Edina meeting this Thursday, July 6, due to the Fourth of July holiday. There will also be no newsletter this week. The Barker will be sent out next week with a recap of the June 29 transition meeting and news from the new Rotary year.
There is also no July Vocational Development Group/Rotary Happy Hour. The next gathering will be Aug. 2 with Skip Thomas as speaker. So no Rotary Happy Hour July 5.
The next meeting will be Thursday, July 13.
No Rotary Club of Edina meeting this Thursday, July 6
The final meeting of the Rotary year will be this Thursday, June 29. This is the transition meeting, where the presidency of the Rotary Club of Edina will transfer from Ann Platt to San Asato. Outgoing club and foundation board members will be honored for their service, and incoming board members will be welcomed. Don't miss the chance to congratulate Ann on a successful Rotary year, and wish San luck in the year ahead.
There is no Rotary Club of Edina meeting Thursday, July 6, due to the Fourth of July holiday. The first meeting of the new Rotary year will be July 13.
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website and in our newsletter. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Brandon Azbill as a member in July 2016. Brandon's sponsor to the club was Wooj Byun.
Last week Tim and Cindy Murphy, San Asato, David Clynes, Jim Platt and I attended the 112th Rotary International Convention in Atlanta, Georgia. It was quite an experience and once again Rotary highlighted the great works that we as an organization accomplish in "Doing Good in the World."
A true highlight was having Bill Gates as a keynote speaker. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has given over $500 million for the eradication of polio. Mr. Gates said the real difficulty has been finding the kids and now with Google maps it is much easier to find these remote villages and then to establish trust. Over 430,000,000 kids are given the polio drops each year, but we still have work to be done to eliminate the disabling and sometimes deadly disease in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria. You can listen to a snippet of Gate’s address here.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Richard Pitino as program speaker at the Thursday, June 22, meeting. Pitino is the head coach of the University of Minnesota men's basketball team. He was the 2017 Big Ten Coach of the Year.
Click on the link below for more on the speaker...
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Richard Pitino as program speaker at the Thursday, June 22, meeting. Pitino is the head coach of the University of Minnesota men's basketball team. He was the 2017 Big Ten Coach of the Year.
Bring your kids and grandkids for the Rotary Club of Edina's annual family picnic in the pavilion at Three Rivers Park District's Bryant Lake Park! The picnic will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, June 15.
There will be NO REGULAR MEETING on June 15 because of the picnic that evening.
Sit back and relax while talking with other Rotarians and their families or take part in yard games and other mixers. Children's activities will also be scheduled for this special event. The picnic will be catered by Famous Dave's. A cash bar will be available.
There is no additional charge for regular members. Cost is $20 for senior active and honorary members and adult guests. There will be a charge of $12 per child over 5. There is no charge for children under 5. At the time of registration, please be sure to indicate if any of your guests are children.
Please register by Friday, June 9, for the picnic so we can plan for the event. At that time, all reservations will be firm and no-shows will be billed. The picnic will be held rain or shine. Contact Past President Jennifer Bennerotte for more information.
The Rotary Club of Edina presented Lauren Morse-Wendt with its 2017 Chrysanne Manoles Women In Leadership Award at its May 25 meeting. Morse-Wendt was selected for the 2017 honor for playing a key role in transforming Edina’s role in providing housing for homeless young adults.
Chrysanne Manoles joined the Rotary Club of Edina in 1988. She was the club's first female member, and joined our club a year before Rotary International allowed female members. In Manoles’ honor and to celebrate the work of women in the community, the Rotary Club of Edina established an annual women’s leadership award in 2008.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Jerry Rubino as program speaker at the Thursday, June 8, meeting. Rubino is a musician, conductor and educator in the Twin Cities and beyond who has worked with the MacPhail Center for Music and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra Chorale, and many more universities, schools and musical groups. He works every year with Doc Severinsen (shown on the left with Rubino) for the Jingle Bell Doc performance with the Minnesota Orchestra. He is the artistic director of Jerry Rubino Plus and serves as the minister of music at Spirit of Hope United Methodist Church in Golden Valley.
Kelley Burnett will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Jerry Rubino as program speaker at the Thursday, June 8, meeting. Rubino is a musician, conductor and educator in the Twin Cities and beyond who has worked with the MacPhail Center for Music and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra Chorale, and many more universities, schools and musical groups. He works every year with Doc Severinsen (shown on the left with Rubino) for the Jingle Bell Doc performance with the Minnesota Orchestra. He is the artistic director of Jerry Rubino Plus and serves as the minister of music at Spirit of Hope United Methodist Church in Golden Valley.
Kelley Burnett will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
Rotarians and guests held a Make-A-Meal event at Cornerstone Tuesday, May 30. At this Community Service Committee project, volunteers prepared and served a meal for Cornerstone clients and their children. Cornerstone, located in Bloomington, was the recipient of an Edina Rotary Foundation local grant this Rotary year.
Community Service—Local Projects Director Kip Peterson and Nate Wenner chaired the project.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Rep. Dario Anselmo as program speaker at the Thursday, June 1, meeting. Anselmo represents District 49A in the Minnesota House of Representatives, which includes Edina.
New members Don Andersen and Mike Andersen will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina recently awarded scholarships to two Edina High School graduates.
Sofia Garduno and Abdigani Abdulkadir were each given $1,250 scholarships at a special breakfast at the Church of St. Patrick Friday, May 19. The presentation was made by the club’s Youth Service Director, Sam Thompson.
The Rotary Club of Edina will present the eighth-annual “Chrysanne Manoles Women In Leadership Award" at this week's meeting, on Thursday, May 25. Chrysanne Manoles was the first female member of our club, and is still active in Rotary today. In Manoles’ honor and to celebrate the work of women in the community, the Rotary Club of Edina established an annual women’s leadership award in 2008.
New member Jennifer Shinners will be officially inducted into the Rotary Club of Edina at the meeting. And Rotarian Theresa Bea Halverson will give her classification talk at the meeting.
This smiling group of Edina Rotarians, family and friends, packed 23 boxes of meals for families in the Dominican Republic on Saturday, May 6. That is 828 meals going to those in the world who need help the most. Just another example of Rotary Serving Humanity, said President Ann Platt, one of the volunteers. A representative of Feed My Starving Children will attend an upcoming meeting to share the work they do with our club.
Thanks to Mike Sitek, who organized the volunteer effort for our club!
I would like to express my appreciation to the Rotary Club of Edina and its members for the many cards, memorials and expressions of sympathy in the recent passing of my mother. The club memorial gift was donated to the Salvation Army in her honor. Your kindness during this difficult time means a great deal to me.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Edina Mayor Jim Hovland as program speaker at the Thursday, May 11, meeting. Mayor Hovland is also a member of the Edina Morningside Rotary Club.
New member Heather Edelson will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting. And Rotarian Jen Tregarthen will give her classification talk.
For more on the speaker, click on the link below...
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Edina Mayor Jim Hovland as program speaker at the Thursday, May 11, meeting. Mayor Hovland is also a member of the Edina Morningside Rotary Club.
New member Heather Edelson will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting. And Rotarian Jen Tregarthen will give her classification talk.
President-Elect San Asato ran the meeting May 4, where the program speaker was Dr. David Odde from the University of Minnesota's Biochemical Engineering Department. Rotary Youth Exchange student Claudio Araya Huerta gave his country talk, telling us about Chile. Our final two Edina High School student visitors told us a bit about themselves and their plans for the fall. And a Edina Rotary Foundation grant was given to Oasis for Youth.
Edina Rotarians are encouraged to attend the community meeting for the Edina Comprehensive Plan kick-off at 7 p.m. next Monday, May 8, at Braemar Golf Course, 6364 John Harris Drive, Edina. Go here for more information.
Rotary Club of Edina members are invited to attend the Edina Comprehensive Plan Kick-off Meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, May 8, at Braemar Golf Course, 6364 John Harris Drive, Edina. The kick-off meeting will celebrate the launch of the project and is free and open to everyone.
Edina Rotarians are encouraged to attend to share their vision of Edina for the future.
The next Rotary Vocational Development Group will be Wednesday, May 3. The speaker at the meeting will be Dr. Hannelore Brucker, who has a special "surprise" presentation.
Once a month, Edina Rotarians have a chance to connect with other club members, and any guests, at the happy hour. This Rotary event is held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Mezz at the Lunds & Byerly's in Edina. The meeting will feature a brief presentation from a featured Rotarian, plus time for introductions, networking and questions. The Rotary Club of Edina and EMRC collaborate on this event.
The Rotary Club of Edina will hold a Vocational Day meeting this Thursday, May 18, at Grandview Tire & Auto–Cahill, 5415 70th St. W., Edina. Check in at the meeting will begin at 11:45 a.m., and the meeting will end promptly at 1:30 p.m. Lunch and beverages will be provided.
Our club holds vocational meetings annually to highlight a vocation and/or business in our community. Grandview Tire & Auto is owned by Rotarian Tim Murphy.
We ask that members register for the meeting for planning purposes. Please click here to register. Registration is open through noon today, Tuesday, May 16. Lunches are limited, so if you do not register, you may not be able to have lunch at the meeting.
Contact Club Service Director Marty Kupper with questions or more information about Vocational Day.
Thank you for your notes, calls, prayers and flowers during my recent hospitalization for a heart attack and stent surgery. I have to admit that I would much rather belong to the best Club in the Universe vs. being a member of the stent club! Thanks again for your kindness and support. It is all much appreciated!
Doug Johnson
I would like to thank the Edina Rotary Club and my fellow Rotarians for the cards, memorials and many kinds words following my mother's passing. The support and compassion shown to me was truly appreciated. The memorials are being donated to The Rotary Foundation in honor of my mother.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dr. David Odde as the program speaker at the Thursday, May 4, meeting. Odde works on cancer research in the Biomedical Engineering Department at the University of Minnesota.
Click on the link below for more on the speaker...
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dr. David Odde as the program speaker at the Thursday, May 4, meeting. Odde works on cancer research in the Biomedical Engineering Department at the University of Minnesota.
Rotary Club of Edina member Sandra Schley was awarded the Service Above Self Award at the Rotary District 5950 Conference Friday, April 28! Here she is accepting the award from District 5950 Governor Mark Hegstrom at the conference. This award from Rotary International is only given to 150 Rotarians worldwide each year.
Rotary Club of Edina member Sandra Schley was awarded the Service Above Self Award at the Rotary District 5950 Conference Friday, April 28! Here she is accepting the award from District 5950 Governor Mark Hegstrom at the conference. This award from Rotary International is only given to 150 Rotarians worldwide each year.
It was a beautiful spring day for April, and I happen to check into the meeting just as Joel Jennings was arriving and checking in. What a delight to have Joel back in our presence and enjoy his warm and positive energy. Welcome back Joel! We look forward to seeing you again very soon. The program speaker at the meeting was Lee Anderson, General Mills Director of Issue Management and State Government Relations, and Frank Cardarelle's nephew! Youth Exchange student Justine Onana gave her country talk, telling us all about Belgium. And the final results of the The Rotary Foundation Bowl were announced!
Click on the link below for more about the meeting...
The Edina Rotary Foundation recently awarded nearly $25,000 in grants to 15 local organizations. The organizations have been visiting our weekly meetings to pick up the grant checks and share stories about their organizations and the people who will benefit from the funds.
Money for grants awarded by the Edina Rotary Foundation is raised at an annual fall fundraiser and gala and donations made throughout the year.
This baseball season the Edina Noon Rotary Club is the proud sponsor of the Edina Baseball Association's Fifth-Grade Green Baseball Team 11A, coached by Jason Hughes! The 11A Team has its next game at 6 p.m. Monday, May 8, at the Courtney 4 Field (next to Braemar Arena on the east side of Highway 169 off of Valley View Road) vs. Waconia.
Find some other Rotarians, family and friends and come cheer on our team!
Another 11A Rotary Team game is:
May 10 at 6:30 p.m. at Countryside vs. Minnetonka White
For more information, contact Public Image Director Mark Jessen.
The Rotary Club of Edina’s Board of Directors recently approved the applicants below for membership:
Don Anderson
Classification: Financial Advisory
Sponsor: Dave Hatzung
Mike Anderson
Classification: Financial Advisory
Sponsor: Dave Hatzung
Kelley Burnett
Classification: Insurance
Sponsor: Sam Cote
Heather Edelson
Classification: Community Advocacy
Sponsor: Josh Sprague
Jennifer Shinners
Classification: Men's Clothing
Sponsor: John Buttolph
Written objections to the application must be submitted before 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 10, to Rotary Club of Edina, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424.
The southbound Highway 100 ramp to West 50th Street/Vernon Avenue will be closed this week, Monday through Friday, April 24 through 28. Crews are painting the new noise wall and adding lighting.
Make note if you are heading south on Highway 100 and plan to take that exit to come to the Edina Country Club for the weekly meeting.
This week is Prospective Member Day at the Rotary Club of Edina! Members are encouraged to bring a friend or colleague who is interested in Rotary to the meeting. The program speaker for this week's meeting, Thursday, April 27, is Lee Anderson. Anderson is external relations director for General Mills. He will speak about "General Mills: 150 Years of Serving the World By Making Food People Love."
For more information on Prospective Member Day, contact Membership Director—Recruitment Greg Yoch.
Click on the link below for more on this week's speaker...
This week is Prospective Member Day at the Rotary Club of Edina! Members are encouraged to bring a friend or colleague who is interested in Rotary to the meeting. The program speaker for this week's meeting, Thursday, April 27, is Lee Anderson. Anderson is external relations director for General Mills. He will speak about "General Mills: 150 Years of Serving the World By Making Food People Love."
For more information on Prospective Member Day, contact Membership Director—Recruitment Greg Yoch.
Thursday, April 20, was the annual Area 3 Rotary Vocational Day meeting featuring keynote speaker Michael Bellotti. He spoke to Rotary clubs from Bloomington, Eden Prairie, Edina, Richfield and South Metro Minneapolis Evenings, as well as students from area high schools. The theme of his talk was "How Art Saved My Life." As a surprise at the end of the meeting, the Vocational Day Committee presented artwork they had commissioned Michael Bellotti to do of longtime Rotarian Arthur Rouner!
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website and in our newsletter. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Jen Tregarthen as a member in October 2016. But Jen had been a member of a Rotary club in Oklahoma before moving to Minnesota. Jen's sponsor to the club was Greg Yoch.
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website and in our newsletter. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Sarah Aydinalp as an Honorary Member in August 2016. Sarah was invited to be an Honorary Member after she was on outbound Youth Exchange student through our club. Sarah's sponsor was Jennifer Bennerotte.
The Thursday, April 13, Rotary Club of Edina meeting featured program speaker Mike Max, sports reporter and anchor at WCCO and host of "Sports to the Max" on WCCO Radio. Andrea Thompson Miller gave her classification talk to the club and shared her varied interests and news of her upcoming nuptials! An Edina Rotary Foundation grant was given to YMCA Camp Induhapi. And Brandon Azbill reminded members that they are encouraged to help assemble furniture at 66 West on April 20! The community Room at 66 West is our 2016–2017 Signature Project.
For more on the meeting, click on the link below...
WHERE: regular Rotary meeting, Edina Country Club. The program speaker for the meeting is Lee Anderson, legal counsel at General Mills.
WHO: All Rotarians are encouraged to bring a friend or colleague that is interested in learning more about Rotary and our club to the meeting. Lunch is on the club for all prospective members!
REGISTRATION: No need to register in advance, but make sure your guest(s) sign in at the front desk when they arrive. Contact Membership Director Greg Yoch for more information.
Time has gone fast this year, as we are already three-quarters of the way through the school year! Our inbound students, Justine and Claudio, are busy with studies and activities. In the next few weeks they will each be presenting their Country Talks during a meeting—Justine April 27 and Claudio May 4! Please reach out to Justine and Claudio if you wish to invite them to an event or dinner with your family—Heather, Hansen, Mike Kallas or Terry Stevens can help you get in contact with the students. We need host families for our three inbound students next year as well. Contact Heather if you or someone you know is interested!
Click on the link below for more on Youth Exchange...
On behalf of our entire staff and the families we serve, thank you to the Edina Rotary Foundation for your recent $1,000 grant award to help fund Cornerstone's Large Group Room chair replacement project. We certainly appreciate your loyal support—and your willingness to consider projects that are undeniably necessary, yet difficult to fund.
Click on the link below to read the rest of the letter...
WHERE: regular Rotary meeting, Edina Country Club. The program speaker for the meeting is Lee Anderson, legal counsel at General Mills.
WHO: All Rotarians are encouraged to bring a friend or colleague that is interested in learning more about Rotary and our club to the meeting. Lunch is on the club for all prospective members!
REGISTRATION: No need to register in advance, but make sure your guest(s) sign in at the front desk when they arrive. Contact Membership Director Greg Yoch for more information.
Our club's The Rotary Foundation Director Sue Spalding, with the help of David Clynes, honored more Rotarians as Paul Harris Fellows at the April 6 meeting. The following Rotarians were honored for their donations to The Rotary Foundation:
Hannolore Brucker, PHF
Jim Ryman, PHF+2
John Solberg, PHF+2
Greg Yoch, PHF+2
Sue Spalding, PHF+3
Les Jones, PHF+3
Marty Kupper, PHF+3
Kris Maser, PHF+4
Brad Pearson, PHF+5
Mike Kallas, PHF +6
John Flynn, PHF+7
Joe Christensen, PHF+8
Thank you to all Rotary Club of Edina members who have generously donations to The Rotary Foundation! Contact Sue Spalding for more information about how to donate this Rotary year, TRF's 100th anniversary!
Mike Max will be the program speaker at the Thursday, April 13, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Max is a sports anchor and reporter on WCCO Channel 4 and hosts Sports to the Max on WCCO Radio.
Click on the link below for more on the speaker...
Mike Max will be the program speaker at the Thursday, April 13, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Max is a sports anchor and reporter on WCCO Channel 4 and hosts Sports to the Max on WCCO Radio.
At the Thursday, April 6, Rotary Club of Edina meeting, the program speaker was Mark Stutrud, founder and president of Summit Brewing Co. He shared his story of being a brewing sod-buster, and also shared brews with the lucky attendees. New member Mark Stageberg was officially inducted into the club.
Click on the link below for more about the meeting...
WHAT: Rotary District 5950 Conference, "Serving Humanity, Together in Harmony"
WHEN: 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday, April 28
WHERE: Westin Edina Galleria
WHO: All Rotarians are encouraged to attend, the club will reimburse members for one of the sessions they attend (up to $60)
REGISTRATION: online here. Registration accepted through April 21. Register by Friday and let Club Administrator Jennifer Garske know so you can be reimbursed on your Q1 Rotary invoice.
Click on the link to learn more about the event...
The annual Area 3 Rotary Vocational Ethics Day meeting will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. this Thursday, April 20, at the Edina Country Club. All Edina Rotarians are encouraged to attend, and many Rotarians from area clubs, as well as local high schools, will also be in attendance. This year's keynote speaker is Michael Bellotti. He will speak about "How Art Saved My Life."
For more information, contact Dan Hallberg at 952-541-0352.
Click on the link below for more info on the meeting...
Longtime Rotary Club of Edina member Dennis Bock passed away March 28, 2017. His funeral was Monday, April 3, at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Edina. Denny was president of our club in 1984–1985.
Thank you for your grant award of $2,700. This grant will help fund the purchase of one musical instrument. This instrument will be developmentally appropriate for all the children at Fraser School. This musical instrument will be integrated into our conductive playground environment to further inclusive play, physical play and teaching.
Click on the link below to continue reading the letter...
Monday evening, April 3, the City of Edina held the 38th annual Volunteer Awards Reception. This is an opportunity for organizations to recognize outstanding volunteers each year. The Edina Rotary Club recognized Gary Pedersen as Rotarian of the Year for his work on the International Service project in Escuintla, Guatemala.
Also at the reception, Camp Enterprise was recognized with the Mayor’s Service To Youth Commendation. And the Mayor’s Outstanding Senior Commendation was awarded to Rotarian Frank Cardarelle, for serving as liaison for the Rotary Club of Edina and the Edina Historical Society for 48 years.
For more on the awards, click on the link below...
Mark Stutrud, president and founder of Summit Brewing Co., will be the program speaker at this week's, Thursday, April 6, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Stutrud will speak about "Experiences Being a Brewing Sod-Buster." There will be samples of some of Summit's brews at the meeting.
Stutrud has been a member of the St. Paul Rotary Club #10 since 2000.
Click on the link below for more information on the speaker...
Mark Stutrud, president and founder of Summit Brewing Co., will be the program speaker at the Thursday, April 6, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Stutrud will speak about "Experiences Being a Brewing Sod-Buster." There will be samples of some of Summit's brews at the meeting.
Stutrud has been a member of the St. Paul Rotary Club #10 since 2000.
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...
The next Rotary Vocational Development Group tonight, Wednesday, April 5. The speaker at the meeting will be our own André Brewer.
Once a month, Edina Rotarians have a chance to connect with other club members, and any guests, at the happy hour. This Rotary event is held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Mezz at the Lunds & Byerly's in Edina. The meeting will feature a brief presentation from a featured Rotarian, plus time for introductions, networking and questions. The Rotary Club of Edina and EMRC collaborate on this event.
All Edina Rotarians are invited to attend the Edina Give and Go Fundraiser next Friday, April 7. Executive Director Abigail Lugo extended an invitation to all Rotarians to stop by "A Great Gathering for a Great Cause," from 6 to 8 p.m. at Braemar Golf Course Clubhouse. For more info or to RSVP go here.
Edina Give and Go is the recipient of donations in honor of each week's program speakers this Rotary year, as well as recently receiving a Edina Rotary Foundation grant from the Community Service Local Funding Committee.
For more on the fundraiser, click on the link below...
Our The Rotary Foundation Bowl Commissioners (Sandy Schley and Tim Murphy) and their team captains are busy contacting all members to ask that everyone donate to The Rotary Foundation (TRF). It doesn’t matter if it is $26.50 (which was the first donation in 1916 to start TRF) or whatever amount you are comfortable with. Several of you have become Paul Harris Society members, which means you are committing $1,000 a year. Congratulations and thank you!
Learn more about giving to TRF by clicking on the link below...
Dr. Mark Kroll will be the program speaker at the Thursday, March 30, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Kroll is the retired chief technology officer and senior vice president at St. Jude Medical, and holds more than 340 U.S. patents for medical devices.
For more on the speaker, click on the link below...
Dr. Mark Kroll will be the program speaker at the Thursday, March 30, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Kroll is the retired chief technology officer and senior vice president at St. Jude Medical, and holds more than 340 U.S. patents for medical devices.
The Rotary Club of Edina met on a grey, windy and gloomy Thursday, March 23, but our spirits were brightened with the fellowship of Rotarians. The program speaker was Judy Keen, editor at the Star Tribune, and she spoke about “Covering Politics in a New Era.” New members Nash Faulk and Scott Hawkins were officially inducted into the club. And two Edina Rotary Foundation local grants were given out by the Community Service—Local Funding Committee.
For more on the meeting, click on the link below...
Rotary Club of Edina's TRF Director Sue Spalding recognized members for their donations to The Rotary Foundation at the March 16 meeting. The Paul Harris Fellows included:
Over 100 Rotarians gathered for our weekly meeting in the midst of March Madness and the day before St. Patrick’s Day.
Our feature presentation was about The Avenue on France by Bob Erickson, senior development manager for the developer Wildamere, and Dean Devolis, chief architect.
For more on the meeting, click on the link below...
Rotarians and guests gathered at Cooks of Crocus Hill in Edina last Saturday, March 18, to do some Italian cooking and enjoy the delicious meal they prepared as teams. A great time was had by all, according to even organizer Rick Carlson, a member of the Membership Retention Committee. Thanks to Rick for planning the event, with Committee Chair Ken Andersen. Cheers!
The Rotary Club of Edina’s Board of Directors recently approved the applicant below for membership:
Mark Stageberg
Classification: Trial Attorney
Sponsor: Keith Benson
Written objections to the application must be submitted before 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 5, to Rotary Club of Edina, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424.
Thank you so much for the generous grant you've provided to Give and Go. Even in Edina, some families need a little extra help to reach full academic excellence. The Chromebook computers this grant allows us to purchase will be a game changer for our students. Your support is helping unlock opportunities, one student at a time—thank you!
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Star Tribune editor Judy Keen as program speaker at the Thursday, March 23, meeting. Keen will speak about "Covering Politics in a New Era." Keen was previously on staff with USA Today, and covered three presidents, five presidential campaigns and numerous breaking news stories.
New members Nash Faulk and Scott Hawkins will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Star Tribune editor Judy Keen as program speaker at the Thursday, March 23, meeting. Keen will speak about "Covering Politics in a New Era." Keen was previously on staff with USA Today, and covered three presidents, five presidential campaigns and numerous breaking news stories.
New members Nash Faulk and Scott Hawkins will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
The program speaker for the Thursday, March 16, Rotary Club of Edina meeting will be Bob Erickson. He will talk about the new development at France Avenue and 66th Street in Edina.
Rotarian Dan Hare will give his classification talk at the meeting.
Rotary Club of Edina members attended the annual joint meeting with the Edina Morningside Rotary Club Tuesday morning, March 7. EMRC hosted our club at the meeting at the Edina Country Club, and welcomed members with balloons, welcome signs and flowers on the tables. The program speaker at the meeting was Dr. Michael Osterholm, former head epidemiologist for the Minnesota Department of Health.
Click on the link for more on the joint meeting...
Due to the joint meeting with Edina Morningside Rotary Club held Tuesday, March 7, there will be no regular Rotary Club of Edina meeting this Thursday, March 9. The next meeting will be Thursday, March 16. The program speaker March 16 will be Bob Erickson, who will talk about the new development at France Avenue and 66th Street in Edina.
No Rotary Club of Edina meeting this Thursday, March 9
Last Wednesday, March 1, Joe Arends, Hannelore Brucker, Rick Carlson and I had an opportunity to take a hard hat tour of 66 West, our signature project for this Rotary year. The 66 West project will feature 39 units of affordable housing for young people who have experienced homelessness between the ages of 18 to 23.
The annual spring Rotary Club of Edina volunteer effort at Feed My Starving Children is set for Saturday, May 6. Rotarians, family and friends are welcome to register to pack meals for children in need around the world. We will meet at the Feed My Starving Children in Chanhassen from 9 to 11 a.m.
Go to the Edina Rotary website to sign up online. Email Mike Sitek or call 952-836-6326 with questions.
The annual join meeting with the Edina Morningside Rotary Club is at 7:30 a..m. today, Tuesday, March 7, at the Edina Country Club. The program speaker will be Dr. Michael Osterholm, who will speak on "Public Health and Infectious Disease."
There will be no Rotary Club of Edina meeting on Thursday, March 9.
Rotarians were all smiles at the March 2 Rotary Club of Edina meeting, which featured program speaker Craig Warren, COO of Greater Twin Cities United Way. The meeting notes from the March 2 meeting will appear in next week's TheBarker.
Several Rotarians brought significant others, children, grandchildren and friends to participate in the Rotary golf event at Golf Zone in Chaska last Friday, March 3. Organized by Membership—Retention Committee member Dan Hennen, participants could hit golf balls on the driving range from a shared stall, compete in the Mini Masters Golf Tournament, and partake in a catered dinner from Buca di Bepo and a dessert reception. Fun was had by all! Thanks to Dan for his hard work on this great family event.
The annual join meeting with the Edina Morningside Rotary Club will be at 7:30 a..m. Tuesday, March 7, at the Edina Country Club. The program speaker will be Dr. Michael Osterholm, who will speak on "Public Health and Infectious Disease."
There will be no Rotary Club of Edina meeting on Thursday, March 9.
The next Rotary Vocational Development Group will be tomorrow, Wednesday, March 1. The speaker at the meeting will be Rotary Club of Edina President Ann Platt.
Once a month, Edina Rotarians have a chance to connect with other club members, EMRC members, and any guests, at the happy hour. This Rotary event is held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Mezz at the Lunds & Byerly's on France in Edina. The meeting will feature a brief presentation from Ann, plus time for introductions, networking and questions.
Rotarian Rick Carlson sent in a photo of Rotarians packing backpacks of food for kids to take home for the weekend at VEAP Feb. 23. Several area Rotary clubs participate in the Community Service project each school year, and Kenny Smith (center) coordinates the VEAP volunteers for our club this year. Thanks to all the volunteers who have helped out with the VEAP food project this Rotary year!
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina in The Barker. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Jim Platt as a member in August 2016. Jim's sponsor to the club was Ann Platt.
Click on the link to get to know more about Jim...
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Craig Warren as program speaker at the Thursday, March 2, meeting. Warren is the chief operating officer for Twin Cities United Way. He will speak about "We Are Humankind. Twin Cities United Way and Our Community."
Rotarian André Brewer will give his classification talk at the meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Craig Warren as program speaker at the Thursday, March 2, meeting. Warren is the chief operating officer for Twin Cities United Way. He will speak about "We Are Humankind. Twin Cities United Way and Our Community."
Rotarian André Brewer will give his classification talk at the meeting.
Edina Rotarians arrived for our regular meeting Feb. 23 to find the dining room decorated with helium balloons, and a plate of fancy cupcakes on each table. Turns out it was Rotary International’s 112th birthday. So, Happy Birthday to RI, and to us, and thanks President Ann Platt for adding color to our meeting!
WHAT: Chamber/Rotary Edina State of Community event
WHEN: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 22
WHERE: Edina Country Club
WHO: All Rotarians are encouraged to attend. This does NOT take the place of the regular Rotary meeting Thursday, Feb. 23.
REGISTRATION: Registration for the event is now closed. Edina residents may attend the meeting as non-lunching guests. An RSVP is appreciated to erica@edina.org.
Rotary’s Council on Legislation met last year, resulting in a new standard club constitution, Rotary clubs’ guiding document. The new constitution covers excused absences for senior members. As a result, our club’s bylaws must be amended to conform. At its January meeting, the Club’s Board of Directors recommended a change to Article 13 for “Member Types:”
Click on the link to read more about the proposed change...
The Rotary Club of Edina now has a “B2B Resource Table” for members to share information about their businesses or other organizations at weekly meetings.
Members may place business cards, promotional items, handouts or other materials on the table each week for others to take. Such materials are not allowed on luncheon tables, unless it is related to the featured speaker’s presentation or a club activity. Members who bring items for the B2B Resource Table are responsible for taking them at the end of the meeting; any items left will be thrown away or recycled by the Edina Country Club.
The table may be discontinued if it is found to be of little interest to members.
For more information, contact Past President Jennifer Bennerotte, jbennerotte@EdinaRotary.org.
The Interact Club of Edina held their second Skate to End Polio Feb. 10, to raise funds for The Rotary Foundation and their PolioPlus program. Those in attendance, including Edina Rotarians and their families, skated under the stars, and the event raised more than $1,500 for PolioPlus. Thanks to all who attended and donated money to the Interact Club for their biggest event of the year.
The Rotary Club of Edina’s Board of Directors recently approved the applicants below for membership:
Theresa Bea
Classification: Family Law
Sponsor: Sutton McGraw
Nash Faulk
Classification: Health & Wellness
Sponsor: Greg Yoch
Scott Hawkins
Classification: Health & Wellness
Sponsor: Greg Yoch
Written objections to the application must be submitted before 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 8, to Rotary Club of Edina, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424.
Maureen Hooley Bausch, CEO of the Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee, will be the program speaker at the Thursday, Feb. 23, Rotary Club of Edina meeting.
Rotarian Jack Atnip will give his classification talk at the meeting.
Click on the link to read more about the speaker...
Maureen Hooley Bausch, CEO of the Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee, will be the program speaker at the Thursday, Feb. 23, Rotary Club of Edina meeting.
Rotarian Jack Atnip will give his classification talk at the meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina met on an unseasonably warm Thursday, Feb. 16. The program speaker was Marna Anderson, development and communications director for Nonviolent Peaceforce, who spoke about "Unarmed Protection of Civilians in Conflict." Rotarian Jody Kern was honored as our club's newest Major Donor to The Rotary Foundation, with special meaning in this 100th year of TRF. And Libby Schmit gave a 2016–2017 Community Service local grant to Hearts and Hands on behalf of the Edina Rotary Foundation.
Click on the link to read more about the meeting...
Members of the Rotary Club of Edina were honored at last week's meeting, Feb. 9, for their donations to The Rotary Foundation. The following Paul Harris Fellows (PHF) were given pins and celebrated by David Clynes, a member of the TRF Committee, and the TRF Director for our club in 2017–2019. Rotarian Jim Roberts also helped with the presentation. Named new PFH distinctions were:
Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Marna Anderson as program speaker at the Thursday, Feb. 16, meeting. Anderson is director of development and communications for Nonviolent Peaceforce. She will speak about "Unarmed Protection of Civilians in Violent Conflict."
Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Marna Anderson as program speaker at the Thursday, Feb. 16, meeting. Anderson is director of development and communications for Nonviolent Peaceforce. She will speak about "Unarmed Protection of Civilians in Violent Conflict."
The Rotary Club of Edina gathered Thursday, Feb. 9, to hear program speaker Dr. Michael McAlpine from the University of Minnesota. An associate professor of mechanical engineering, his talk focused on 3D printing and functional materials. Before we heard from Dr. McAlpine, Rotarian Brandon Azbill gave his classification talk, Keith Benson handed out a local grant to the city of Edina Communications Department, and much more!
Rotarians were busy last week, Feb. 6–10, reading to third-graders at Creek Valley Elementary School in Edina. This is the second year that Rotarians have taken the Andy & Elmer’s Apple Dumpling Adventure books to students in Edina schools. It is the story of a young entrepreneur who starts an apple dumpling business. With the guidance of a mysterious voice, conveying the Four-Way Test, he turns his venture into a wonderful success and makes friends along the way.
Rotarians are busy this week reading to third-graders at Creek Valley Elementary School. This is the second year that Rotarians have taken the Andy & Elmer’s Apple Dumpling Adventure books to students in Edina schools. It is the story of a young entrepreneur who starts an apple dumpling business. With the guidance of a mysterious voice, conveying the Four-Way Test, he turns his venture into a wonderful success and makes friends along the way.
The story was written and illustrated by Andrew J. Shoup, a children’s book author and illustrator. The book is jointly published by the Rotary Club of Fairborn, Ohio, and TokoBooks.
Thank you to Rotarians Mike Kallas, Jody Kern, Ann Platt, Josh Sprague, Michael Stanzak, Axel and Loreli Steuer and Sam Thompson, who were readers and helpers for the readings at the school.
A huge thank you to Renee Harberts for organizing the readers and coordinating with the school, and to Mary Swendsen, whose excellent apple dumplings were shared with the students.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dr. Michael McAlpine from the University of Minnesota as program speaker at the Thursday, Feb. 9 meeting. Dr. McAlpine is an associate professor of mechanical engineering with a focus on 3D printing. He will speak about 3D Printing Functional Materials and Devices.
Brandon Azbill will give his classification talk at the meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dr. Michael McAlpine from the University of Minnesota as program speaker at the Thursday, Feb. 9 meeting. Dr. McAlpine is an associate professor of mechanical engineering with a focus on 3D printing. He will speak about 3D Printing Functional Materials and Devices.
Brandon Azbill will give his classification talk at the meeting.
Assisting with our meeting today were the following:
Greeters: Libby Schmit, Brad Pearson and San Asato
Front Desk: Mike Sitek
Invocation/Pledge/Four-Way Test: Sam Cote
Guest Introductions: Jennifer Bennerotte
Introduce the Speaker: Mike Kallas
Thank the Speaker: Josh Sprague
Ann Platt opened the meeting with 2 announcements:
Recent former member Katie Bassett’s mother passed away; please keep Katie and family in your thoughts and prayers.
Several Rotarians’ businesses received the People’s Choice Award in the Sun-Current: Edina Liquor; Ellingson & Ellingson; Fairview Southdale Hospital; Grandview Tire & Auto; Pearson Orthodontics; Pets Are Inn; Southdale YMCA and Washburn McReavy. Congratulations!
Click on the link to read more about the meeting...
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Deb Anderson as the program speaker at the Thursday, Feb. 2, meeting. Anderson is founder and owner of By the Yard, an outdoor furniture company located in Jordan, Minnesota.
Anderson started By the Yard in 1995. Anderson will share the highs and lows of growing the business, as well as transitioning into retirement. Anderson is the sister of Edina Rotarian Mike Kallas.
Renee Harberts will give her classification talk at the meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Deb Anderson as the program speaker at the Thursday, Feb. 2, meeting. Anderson is founder and owner of By the Yard, an outdoor furniture company located in Jordan, Minnesota.
Renee Harberts will give her classification talk at the meeting.
Last week we were warmly greeted by Michael Opitz and Ed Padilla. They are professionals. The front desk was handled by Marty Kupper, Libby Schmit and Axel Steuer. They had a busy day checking in the huuuuuuge number of guests on Prospective Member Day.
Things were a bit stressful for President Ann Platt as she could not contact our speaker. Phone calls, text messages, emails and smoke signals were sent but at 12:32 p.m., still no luck tracking down our speaker, Dr. Penny Wheeler. She even pulled me in for tech support—talk about desperation! Two minutes later the doctor was in the house and all was well. Ring the bell—meeting begins.
The Edina High School Interact Club is planning a "Skate to End Polio" from 7 to 9 p.m. this Friday, Feb. 10, at Braemar Arena's Backyard Rink. Enjoy open skating with friends and family! All ages are welcome! Tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for kids, and can be bought at upcoming Rotary meetings, the day of the event, or by contacting Josh Sprague.
All proceeds go towards Rotary’s End Polio Now campaign, which began in 1985 and has raised more than $1.3 billion towards the elimination of polio around the world.
The skate-a-thon is sponsored by the Interact Club of Edina High School, Rotary Club of Edina, Edina Morningside Rotary Club and Braemar Arena. For more information, contact Josh Sprague.
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Hannelore Brucker as a member in July 2016. Hannelore's sponsor to the club was Josh Sprague. Click on the link to get to know Hannelore...
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina in The Barker. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Hannelore Brucker as a member in July 2016. Hannelore's sponsor to the club was Josh Sprague. Read on to get to know more about Hannelore...
Name: Hannelore A. Brucker
Classification: Medicine–Allergy (retired). Operated a private allergy office for 32 years, for 20 years with my husband, Dr. Heinrich K. Brucker, and after his passing, for 12 years as solo practitioner. Now I am involved in research for a National Allergy Meeting presentation. I will try to stay in research-oriented activities and will look for further practical work in the allergy field.
What was your first job? Helping my father in his medical office when I was a teenager.
Who was your first role model and why? Albert Schweitzer, theologian, physician and renowned organ player. My dream was to join his mission in Lambarene, then Belgish Kongo, in Africa. My contact came through a home town group, called “Friends of Albert Schweitzer.”
Why did you want to join Rotary? I am looking forward to the fellowship and hope to contribute doing good for my fellow human beings.
What do you like best about being part of the Rotary Club of Edina? Every time I attended I was impressed with the friendliness of the members towards me as a newcomer.
What one piece of advice do you offer other business leaders? What I learned as a physician in problem solving was listening, listening and again listening.
Thanks for joining the Rotary Club of Edina, Hannelore!
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dr. Penny Wheeler as program speaker at the meeting Thursday, Jan. 26. Wheeler has been the president and CEO of Allina Health since 2015. This week is also Prospective Member Day at Edina Rotary! All members are encouraged to bring a friend or colleague that is interested in learning more about Rotary and our club. Rotary Club of Edina will provide lunch for all prospective members Jan. 26!
Penny Wheeler to speak at Prospective Member Day this Thursday, Jan. 26
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dr. Penny Wheeler as program speaker at the meeting Thursday, Jan. 26. Wheeler has been the president and CEO of Allina Health since 2015. This week is also Prospective Member Day at Edina Rotary! All members are encouraged to bring a friend or colleague that is interested in learning more about Rotary and our club. Rotary Club of Edina will provide lunch for all prospective members Jan. 26!
Today I am writing The Barker for Bob Hildreth, only because he bribed me with dinner at a downtown establishment!
Also, I am going to resurrect The Barker writing style of our former Rotarian and Mayor of Edina, the Honorable Jim Van Valkenburg, and write it the day before the meeting.
The cast of characters helping President Ann Platt today are: Sandy Schley, Scott Neal,Jeff Ohe, Kim Stoner, Bill McReavy, Steve Slyce, Dale Walker and yours truly. You can be assured they all did their jobs satisfactorily. You know the drill, if Ann is happy we all are happy.
Don’t forget to sign up for the bowling event at the Park Tavern Saturday, Jan. 28th. I am sure someone got up and made an announcement about it. I would be there but I will be in Puerto Rico. If you want to come join me, call Marty Kupper at Martin Kupper Travel Services, and he will set you up.
Also, I know that some of you are thinking of me around 2:45 Puerto Rico time on Feb. 2 when my phone will start ringing (Jon Barnett, Alarms R Us, and Jeff Ohe, Show Me the Money) during the meeting.
Also, if you haven’t made your pledge to The Rotary Foundation, get on with it. After all, “It’s for the Kids."
Steve Buettner introduced two students from Edina High School, Caroline Harmening and Ben Lohrding, who shared their many accomplishments while at EHS and their plans for the future.
Our speaker today was Will Steger. If you don’t know who Will is and what he has accomplished so far, you have lived a sheltered life! Everyone knows who Will Steger is, right?
A formidable voice calling for understanding and the preservation of the Arctic, and the Earth, Will Steger is best known for his legendary polar explorations. He has traveled tens of thousands of miles by kayak and dogsled over 50 years, leading teams on some of the most significant polar expeditions in history.
Steger led the first confirmed dogsled journey to the North Pole without re-supply in 1986, the 1,600-mile south-north traverse of Greenland (the longest unsupported dogsled expedition in history) in 1988, and led the first dogsled traverse of Antarctica (the historic seven-month, 3,741-mile International Trans-Antarctica Expedition) in 1989–1990. His achievements and awards would take all day to write and read, but if you were to sum everything up, you know that he is a leader in raising awareness of the urgency of climate change and the opportunity for solutions.
Will spoke on his experiences as an explorer and his work with the Steger Wilderness Center (in Ely, Minnesota) and Climate Generation.
For additional information, please go to www.willsteger.com.
Rotarians and guests gathered Saturday, Jan. 14, for the first Edina Rotary Ice Bowling Championship at the home of Tom and Catherine Gump. Tom is president of the Edina Morningside Rotary Club, and hosted the event, along with help from other members of the Ice Bowling Committee.
Rotarians and other attendees at at the Edina Rotary Foundation Fundraiser & Gala last Oct. 1, 2016, had a chance to bid on a spot at the Ice Bowling Championship during the Silent Auction. Lucky winners participated in an evening of food and drinks at the Gumps' home in Edina, with the Ice Bowling Championship taking place on the intricate ice bowling venue located on the grounds. The winning team received a trophy, but accolades are given to all whose participation supported the Edina Rotary Foundation. Congratulations, ice bowlers!
The Rotary Club of Edina is excited to welcome Will Steger as program speaker at the Thursday, Jan. 19, meeting. Steger is a polar explorer and educator and founder of the Steger Wilderness Center and Climate Generation (formerly Will Steger Foundation). He will talk about his work with the Steger Wilderness Center.
The Rotary Club of Edina is excited to welcome Will Steger as program speaker at the Thursday, Jan. 19, meeting. Steger is a polar explorer and educator and founder of the Steger Wilderness Center and Climate Generation (formerly Will Steger Foundation). He will talk about his work with the Steger Wilderness Center.
Today our welcoming greeters were Kim Stoner, Dan Mott and David Kunz. Helping at the front desk was Bob Solheim.
Brad Beard introduced our guests:
Sherre Roberts, wife of Jim Roberts
Callie Roberts, daughter of Jim Roberts
Nash Faulk, guest of Greg Yoch
Dr. Scott Hawkins, guest of Greg Yoch
Theresa Bea, guest of Greg Yoch
Mike Anderson, guest of Dave Hatzung
Koren Nelson, guest of Terry Stevens
Loreli Steuer, wife of Axel Steuer
Kaitlin Lui, student guest of Axel Steuer
Kaylin Eidsness shared a wonderful invocation with a quote from former President FDR, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
John Buttolph made an announcement regarding our upcoming bowling event Jan. 28 at Park Tavern in St. Louis Park.
Jim Roberts gave a terrific Classification Talk. As a pilot for Delta Airlines, he has been in aviation over 31 years. Born in Edina, and a graduate of Edina West High School, Jim has a wife and 3 children. Jim shared some of his favorites: Fort Myers Airport, and Fleetwood Mac, the greatest musical group.
Sue Spalding kicked off the Rotary International Bowl and introduced the two team captains and members of the Blue and Gold teams. The team members will be contacting club members in the coming months to talk about donations to The Rotary Foundation.
Greg Yoch came forward to announce that Jan. 26 is Prospective Member Day, so bring a guest/future member.
Greg Yoch then introduced our speaker, a terrific business professional, Scott Litman, who is the managing partner for EQUALS 3. Scott provided an introduction to “Lucy,” which is a very unique electronic program that provides new ways for technology to support business development. The values and benefits as to how digital formats can transform all business and websites was astounding. IBM is very involved in the “Lucy” program. As a system that is seven times faster and 75 percent lower in costs, the future looks great for “Lucy."
Dr. Steve Veker provided a “thank you” to our speaker for his very informative presentation.
President Ann Platt provided her closing remarks and “thanks to all” for our Rotarian friendships and creativity.
The annual Edina Rotary Bowling Event was Jan. 28. More than 40 Rotarians and guests (including Youth Exchange student Justine Onama) gathered at Park Tavern in St. Louis Park to dine, compare custom bowling shirts and be divided up into teams for the cutthroat competition. Door prizes were given out (many great door prizes!) and gutter balls and strikes were thrown. After the pins had settled, the winners and losers were awarded their trophies.
The annual Edina Rotary Bowling Event was Jan. 28. More than 40 Rotarians and guests (including Youth Exchange student Justine Onama) gathered at Park Tavern in St. Louis Park to dine, compare custom bowling shirts and be divided up into teams for the cutthroat competition. Door prizes were given out (many great door prizes!) and gutter balls and strikes were thrown. After the pins had settled, the winners and losers were awarded their trophies.
Sonja Tengdin was awarded the "Best Bowler" trophy for achieving the highest individual score of the night. Jim Platt cheerfully accepted the award for the lowest individual score of the evening.
The team with the lowest scores of the night, or the "Biggest Losers," were Arlene Chung (who accompanied Rotarian Jack Atnip to the event), Club Administrator Jennifer Garske and Dave Tengdin.
The team with the second highest scores of the night were David Aase, Kelly Sprague, Michael Stanzak and Sonja Tengdin.
And the winning team of the night, with the highest scores, were John Flynn, Paul Mooty, Jeff Ohe and Nancy Slyce. Congratulations to all the winners!
Event chair Mark Jessen received a round of applause for the successful event, as well as his co-chairs, John Buttolph and Sutton McGraw. Thanks for all your hard work!
Rotary Club of Edina will welcome entrepreneur Scott Litman as program speaker at the Thursday, Jan. 12, meeting. Litman, co-founder of Magnet 360 and the Minnesota Cup, will talk about his latest venture—Equals 3, the use of artificial intelligence with IBM's super computer, Watson.
Jim Roberts will give his classification talk at the meeting.
Rotary Club of Edina will welcome entrepreneur Scott Litman as program speaker at the Thursday, Jan. 12, meeting. Litman, co-founder of Magnet 360 and the Minnesota Cup, will talk about his latest venture—Equals 3, the use of artificial intelligence with IBM's super computer, Watson.
Jim Roberts will give his classification talk at the meeting.
President Ann Platt opened the this first meeting in 2017 on a beautiful and cold winter day.
We were greeted by Paul Mooty, Bob Perkins and new member Kim Stoner. Mitch Robinson helped out at the front desk.
Jody Kern introduced the many guests that joined us:
Karen B. Herman, guest of Skip Thomas
Sean Boylan, guest of David Clynes
Grace Fink, guest of David Clynes. Grace played piano for us as before the meeting.
Mary Fink, guest of David Clynes. She is the Interact Club of Edina advisor at the high school.
Nash Faulk, guest of Greg Yoch
Kara Souther, guest of Jen Tregarthen
Theresa Bea, guest of Sutton McGraw
Sanna Lee, guest of Joe Arends
Visiting Rotarian Jodie Tervo Roberts from Superior Rotary Club in Wisconsin, who was checking out our club after moving to the area.
Visiting Rotarian Darin Trites from Frazee, Minnesota, also a guest of Royce Pavelka, and also checking out our club after relocating to the Twin Cities.
The heartfelt invocation was delivered by the Rev. Tom Cook.
Salvation Army Bell ringers were thanked for raising a total of $7,068. The Rotary ringing project was once again chaired by Dan Hallberg with assistance from Wayne Harmon.
New member Kim Stoner was officially inducted into the club by Past President Brad Hepp. Jody Kern is Kim's sponsor.
Sutton McGraw promoted the upcoming Rotary Club of Edina Bowling Night, set for Saturday, Jan. 28, at Park Tavern in St. Louis Park.
Community Service—Local Funding Director Keith Benson introduced Lauren Daumueller of Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative at the meeting. Lauren gave an update on the 66 West project (Edina Rotary Foundation's Signature Project for the 2016–2017 Rotary year), including info on hard-hat tours of the building for those interested. Keith mentioned that part of Rotary District 5950's grant approval to contribute to 66 West was that our club put in sweat equity on the project. Those opportunities will be coming soon too!
Royce Pavelka gave a very rich introduction for the speaker of the day, Eileen Rice.
Rice gave a presentation on the Innocence Project, "Causes of Wrongful Convictions." She is a former FBI agent and is now an investigator with WayPoint Inc. She sits on the board of directors of the Innocence Project of Minnesota, a non-profit organization which seeks to free the wrongfully convicted. Rice welcomes questions on the Innocence Project of Minnesota. To contact her write to erice@waypointinc.com.
Andrea Thompson Miller thanked the speaker for her presentation.
Edina Rotarians, family and friends rang the bell at the Salvation Army red kettle at Jerry's Foods in Edina from Dec. 19 through 23. Dan Hallberg once again chaired the project for our club with the help of Wayne Harmon, and has shared the final results the bell ringers raised. Our kettles gathered a total of $7,068 during the five days, including $2,631 on "Ring for Joel Day" Wednesday, Dec 21. Our club honored longtime Rotarian Joel Jennings by ringing in his name, and all the donations received in the red kettle that day were matched.
Dan and Wayne wanted to thank everyone who covered the 14 two-hour shifts all that week. The volunteers included:
Monday, Dec. 19—Ann Platt, Jim Platt, Sam Cote, MJ Cote, Greg Yoch, and Gary Pedersen
Tuesday, Dec. 20—Bob Perkins, Terry Stevens, Les Jones, Teresa Christensen, Jennifer Garske and Karla Wennerstrom
Wednesday, Dec. 21—Tom Ries, Valerie Burke, Paul Mooty, Paul Peterson, Marty Kupper, André Brewer, Terry Stevens and Hannelore Brucker
Thursday, Dec. 22—Bob Solheim, Dave Hatzung, Brad Beard, Skip Thomas, Jody Kern and Kim Stoner
Friday, Dec. 23—Jon Barnett, Dan Hallberg and Josh Sprague and family
This is our 10th year of Edina Rotary serving the Salvation Army in our community. Dan and Wayne look forward to keep ringing for the Salvation Army in the future!
Thanks to Dan and Wayne for their efforts coordinating the volunteers, and providing support each day at the red kettle. Also thanks to everyone who stopped by to toss in some change and support your fellow Rotarians and the Salvation Army!
Edina Rotarians, family and friends rang the bell at the Salvation Army red kettle at Jerry's Foods in Edina from Dec. 19 through 23. Dan Hallberg once again chaired the project for our club with the help of Wayne Harmon, and has shared the final results the bell ringers raised. Our kettles gathered a total of $7,068 during the five days, including $2,631 on "Ring for Joel Day" Dec 21.
Rotarians and guests gathered at the Edina Country Club Thursday, Dec. 15, for the annual Rotary Club of Edina Holiday Party. More than 120 people enjoyed food, drink and warm conversation by the fire as they celebrated the holidays. Many holiday-themed ties and sweaters were worn, as well as one amazing suit that was the very definition of holiday spirit! Christmas cheer was evident and a good time was had by all.
Thanks to party chairs Marty Kupper and Steve Slyce for once again organizing such a wonderful evening.
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Andrea Thompson Miller as a member in June 2016. Andrea's sponsor to the club was Josh Sprague. Click on the link to get to know Andrea...
It is almost 2017 and I thought I would review some of the highlights of the first six months of this Rotary year. I think you'll agree that we've been busy! If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact me!
July—December 2016
Community Service Projects
Special Olympics bowling event
Feed My Starving Children food packing
Edina Rotary Adopt-a-Park cleanup day
VEAP Student Food Packing for weekend meals for students on school lunch program
Thanksgiving Baskets assembled and delivered to 77 families in need
Salvation Army bell ringing at Jerry’s Foods, with matched donations on “Ring for Joel Day” in honor of longtime Rotarian Joel Jennings
Holiday Giving Program donates gifts to Cornerstone and VEAP
Daily delivery of day-old bread to food shelves from Jerry's Foods
Social Events
Peter Frampton concert at the Orpheum with pre-concert cocktail party
St. Paul Saints baseball game
Fall Fireside Chats hosted at members' homes
St. Paul Chamber Orchestra concert and dinner
Holiday Party with over 120 guests
Monthly Vocational Development Group/Happy Hour to network and socialize
Edina Rotary Foundation Fundraiser & Gala
More than 270 people in attendance
“New York State of Mind” theme with dueling pianos entertainment
Raised over $100,000 for the Edina Rotary Foundation to fund special projects, youth programs and grants
Local Grants and Youth Service Programs
Both inbound and outbound Youth Exchange students for 2016–2017 school year
Ongoing support of the Interact Club at Edina High School
Camp Enterprise with over 100 high school students in attendance
Leadership Ethics Seminar for 63 Edina High School students
Signature Project: Community Room at 66 West, an apartment building for 39 young adults who have experienced homelessness, which will open in June 2017
Local Funding Committee is in process of reviewing over 25 grant requests
Meeting/Program Speaker Highlights
Doug Baker, CEO of Ecolab
Rhoda Olson, CEO of Great Clips
Patrick Hunt, Director of the Ryder Cup
Richard Schulze, Founder of Best Buy
Jonathan Finnoff, Director of the Mayo Clinic Minneapolis
Jennifer Smith, CEO of Innovative Office Solutions
Joe Puishys, CEO of Apogee Corporation
Jennifer Jones, Rotary International Vice President
Scott Wolter, The History Channel
A donation is made each week in the speaker’s name to Edina Give and Go, a non-profit that ensures that all Edina students are able to participate in activities that they may not be able to afford.
I hope all of you have a wonderful holiday season and I look forward to working with you next year to ensure that we continue to “Do Good in the World!”
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina in The Barker. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Andrea Thompson Miller as a member in June 2016. Andrea's sponsor to the club was Josh Sprague. Read on to get to know more about Andrea...
Name: Andrea Thompson Miller
Classification: Employer Consulting; PEO Business Consultant for Doherty/Oasis in Edina. I also am a custom jeweler making diamond and colored stone jewelry in my free time.
What was your first job? My first paid job was babysitting for all the neighborhood kids but my first W-2 came from Byerlys in Burnsville. I was a grocery checker on weekends and after school sports.
Who was your first role model and why? My first role model aside from my parents/grandparents has to be my High School Dance Coach Mauri. She taught me how to channel my drive and determination into competition dancing and helped me win trophies and top awards all across the country. My 8-year-old daughter is attending Mauri's School of Dance at the very same studio and I couldn't be more thrilled!
Why did you want to join Rotary? My journey with Rotary began a few years ago when my business partner joined and brought me as a guest a few times. I since have done my due diligence and found that the camaraderie, volunteer efforts, faith and patriotic base along with eradicating Polio really spoke to me and I had to be a part of this Edina Club.
What do you like best about being part of the Rotary Club of Edina? Having countless opportunities to give back and get involved in what's going on in my backyard and the world.
What one piece of advice do you offer other business leaders? Integrity, kindness and being proactive about internal business practices and external products and services will determine your future success. Develop a network of likeminded business owners and friends.
What a wonderful addition to the club you are, Andrea!
I would like to take the opportunity to thank Rotary once again for providing me with the opportunity to learn, build teamwork skills, and challenge myself [at Camp Enterprise]. I would especially like to thank you for awarding me with the scholarship.
Your generous support provides hope for children around the world. Thank you for your faithful partnership. It is an honor to feed God's children side by side with you.
The next Rotary Vocational Development Group will be tonight, Wednesday, Jan. 4. The speaker at the meeting will be Dick Crockett of the Edina Community Foundation. He is a member of the Edina Morningside Rotary Club.
Once a month, Edina Rotarians have a chance to connect with other club members, and any guests, at the happy hour. This Rotary event is held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Mezz at the Lunds & Byerly's in Edina. The meeting will feature a brief presentation from a featured Rotarian, plus time for introductions, networking and questions. The Rotary Club of Edina and EMRC collaborate on this event.
Several members of the Rotary Club of Edina were honored at the Dec. 8 meeting as multiple Paul Harris Fellows, having donated multiple gifts of $1,000 to The Rotary Foundation. TRF Director for our club, Sue Spalding, handed out the PHF pins to members, with the help of David Clynes. It was also announced at the meeting that David will be the 2016–2017 TRF director for our club.
The following members were honored:
Kaylin Eidsness, PHF+1
Sam Thompson, PHF+1
Mark Jessen, PHF+2
Scott Neal, PHF+2
Gary Pedersen, PHF+3
Keith Benson, PHF+4
Rick Carlson, PHF+5
Rick Burrock, PHF+6
Wayne Harmon, PHF+7
Dan Mott, PHF+7
Steve Slyce, PHF+7
Sam Cote, PHF+8
Congratulations to these members! There will be several PHF recognition ceremonies at meetings during the Rotary year.
Incoming Rotary District 5950 Governor Bob Halagan is encouraging all Rotarians to take the District 5950 Membership Survey! If you have not done so, please fill out your survey. Survey results and analysis will be shared with the membership as soon as it becomes available. The deadline for completing the survey is now Dec. 29, so click on this link and share your opinions on Rotary and District 5950.
You can also find the survey link on the District 5950 home page. The survey will only take about 5 to 10 minutes to complete.
Rotary Club of Edina members will be ringing the bell at the Salvation Army red kettle at Jerry's Foods in Edina Monday through Friday, Dec. 19–23. Stop by and support the volunteers as they brave the cold and last-minute holiday food shoppers!
Rotary ringers will be at Jerry's Foods from 2 to 8 p.m. Dec. 19 through Dec. 22, and from 2 to 6 p.m. Dec. 23. Wednesday, Dec. 21, is "Ring for Joel Day," in honor of longtime Rotary Club of Edina member Joel Jennings. Joel rang the bell at the red kettle with Rotary many times over the years. We'll honor Joel by ringing in his name, and all the donations received in the red kettle that day from 2 to 8 p.m. will be matched.
The next Rotary Vocational Development Group will be tonight, Wednesday, Feb. 1. The speaker at the meeting will be Sutton McGraw.
Once a month, Edina Rotarians have a chance to connect with other club members, and any guests, at the happy hour. This Rotary event is held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Mezz at the Lunds & Byerly's, 7171 France Ave. S., Edina. The meeting will feature a brief presentation from a featured Rotarian, plus time for introductions, networking and questions. The Rotary Club of Edina and EMRC collaborate on this event.
Rotary Youth Exchange students Claudio and Justine had a bird's eye view of Edina and the surrounding area in November when they got a ride with Rotarian, and Delta Airlines pilot, Jim Roberts. They are shown here with the plane they flew in with Jim, taking off from Flying Cloud Airport in Eden Prairie.
Rotary Club of Edina members will be ringing the bell at the Salvation Army red kettle at Jerry's Foods in Edina this week. Volunteers were there Monday and Tuesday, and will continue ringing Wednesday through Friday, Dec. 21–23. Stop by and support the volunteers as they brave the cold and last-minute holiday food shoppers!
Rotary ringers will be at Jerry's Foods from 2 to 8 p.m. today, Wednesday, Dec. 21, for "Ring for Joel Day," in honor of longtime Rotary Club of Edina member Joel Jennings. Joel rang the bell at the red kettle with Rotary many times over the years. We'll honor Joel by ringing in his name, and all the donations received in the red kettle that day from 2 to 8 p.m. will be matched. Thursday, Dec. 22, Rotary ringers will be at Jerry's from 2 to 8 p.m., and Friday, Dec. 23, Rotary volunteers will ring from 2 to 6 p.m.
Thanks to all the Rotarians, Interact members and others who volunteered to take part in this Rotary tradition. Special appreciation goes to Dan Hallberg and Wayne Harmon for once again coordinating this year's volunteers, and providing support each day at the red kettle. Stop by and toss in some change and support your fellow Rotarians and friends as they ring for a great cause!
This Thursday, Dec. 15, is the annual Rotary Holiday Party from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Edina Country Club. Join your fellow Rotarians for a chance to celebrate the holidays with a variety of hearty appetizers and a cash bar. There will be lots of room to sit and relax in the living room to catch up with old and new friends in Rotary. You can bring gifts to donate to the Holiday Giving Program as well.
Registration for the Holiday Party has now closed. If you would still like to attend, please contact contact Marty Kupper or Steve Slyce.
Following President Ann Platt calling the meeting to order, Wooj Byun gave us some very thoughtful words related to “What is giving?" The Pledge of Allegiance was followed by the recitation of the Rotary Four-Way Test.
Jim Roberts helped at the front desk. You were greeted by Alan Mogck and Terry Moore.
Kris Maser introduced 10 visitors and one visiting Rotarian (from the Uptown Rotary Club).
President Ann, in the spirit of the holidays, then recognized the seven members of the Edina Country Club wait staff, along with both Club accountant Patti Ellingson-Solheim and Club administrator Jennifer Garske. Patti and Jen were given very festive floral arrangements!
Steve Slyce followed with the reminder of the Rotary Holiday Party being held at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15, at the ECC. You can count on good food and conversation at this event! (Registration has now closed, but contact Steve or Marty Kupper if you would still like to attend.)
Our Past President, Jennifer Bennerotte, next reviewed the Nominating Committee’s various board nominations for the 2017–2018 Rotary year:
Club Board
Sam Thompson, Officer
Joe Arends, Community Service—Local Projects
Renee Harberts, Social
Dan Hennen, Public Image
Marty Kupper, Club Service
Shelly Loberg, International Service
Kip Peterson, Youth Service
Jim Ryman, Community Service—Local Funding
Edina Rotary Foundation Board
Jennifer Bennerotte, At-large Director
Steve Slyce, At-large Director
Sam Thompson next introduced Claire Swift, an outbound Youth Exchange student last school year, 2015–2016. Claire outlined her 2015–2016 experience living in a small town close to Milan, Italy. Claire showed off her host families, many new friends and reviewed her travels all over Italy, along with the fun time she had during "Carnival."
Finally, our Club's The Rotary Foundation Director Sue Spalding spoke to the fundraising success of the club currently reaching almost 50 percent of the goal for donations to The Rotary Foundation in the 2016–2017 Rotary year. Also, Sue spoke of the latest Paul Harris Fellows. Eleven members were recognized, many being multiple Paul Harris Fellows (PHF). They were:
David Clynes
Sam Cote
Steve Slyce
Wayne Harmon
Rick Carlson
Mark Jessen
Gary Pedersen
Scott Neal
Sam Thompson
Rick Burrock
Kaylin Eidsness
Interestingly, Sue shared that our club has 80 Paul Harris Fellows.
After Jennifer Bennerotte’s speaker introduction, our two speakers, Andrew Lutaya and Kate Meredith each did an admirable job of educating us on the upcoming Highway 169 Improvement Project. Mr. Lutaya is the West Area Engineer with the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT). Ms. Meredith is with the 494 Corridor Commission.
We learned that the project extends from Highway 62 in Edina to Highway 55 in Plymouth. The anticipated duration is nine months—Jan. 10 through October 2017.
Andrew itemized the four Highway 169 improvements that will be addressed during this nine-month project:
Replacement of the Nine Mile Creek Bridge (between Bren Road and 7th Street). This will include a pedestrian tunnel.
Repair the pavement from Highway 62 to Highway 55, and the noise walls. There could be noticeable lane closures during this process.
Lengthen the acceleration/deceleration lanes to/from Cedar Lake Road.
Close the 16th Street ramp (southbound). There have been many crashes and traffic interruptions in this area.
Our other speaker, Kate Meredith represented the Commuter Services Outreach Program of the 494 Corridor Commission. This commission deals with commuter parking, coordinating van and car pools, ride matching, bike rack availability, etc. Kate reviewed the many local companies that have been very cooperative in working with this Improvement Program, including Best Buy, Mall of America, Normandale Lake Office Park, Normandale Community College, Starkey Labs, Cargill, and more.
For additional information on this project, the speakers recommended that we go to: http://www.mndot.gov/metro/projects/hwy169hopkins
The speakers were thanked by Axel Steuer and the meeting was adjourned by President Ann at 1:30 p.m.
The upcoming construction project on Highway 169 will be the program topic at the Thursday, Dec. 8, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Melissa Madison, Executive Director of the I-494 Corridor Commission and Commuter Services, and Andrew Lutaya, a senior project manager with the Minnesota Department of Transportation, will speak about the scope and timeline of the project that begins in January 2017. Their program is titled "State of the Commute."
New member Kim Stoner will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
The Dec. 8 meeting is the last regular Rotary meeting of the year. The Rotary Holiday Party will be at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15, at the Edina Country Club. Due to the holidays, there are no Rotary meetings Dec. 22 and 29. The next regular meeting will be at the usual time and place Jan. 5, 2017.
The amazing work that The Rotary Foundation does throughout the world was honored recently. The Rotary Foundation was named the World's Outstanding Foundation for 2016 by the Association of Fundraiser Professionals. Rotary Club of Edina members support TRF with their yearly donations, and our club develops and contributes to TRF projects around the world.
For more information on The Rotary Foundation, go here, or contact our club's TRF Director, Sue Spalding.
The upcoming construction project on Highway 169 will be the program topic at the Thursday, Dec. 8, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Melissa Madison, Executive Director of the I-494 Corridor Commission and Commuter Services, and Andrew Lutaya, a senior project manager with the Minnesota Department of Transportation, will speak about the scope and timeline of the project that begins in January 2017. Their program is titled "State of the Commute."
New member Kim Stoner will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
The Dec. 8 meeting is the last regular Rotary meeting of the year. The Rotary Holiday Party will be at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15, at the Edina Country Club. Due to the holidays, there are no Rotary meetings Dec. 22 and 29. The next regular meeting will be at the usual time and place Jan. 5, 2017.
We were greeted today by our newest inducted member and the only Boomer Sooner in the club, Jen Tregarthen, the Unstoppable Dave Hatzung and, I guess, Billy McReavy. Just around the corner the fun begins with Mr. & Ms. Claus, or better known as Tom Pirsch and Jean Morrison, collecting gifts for the Rotary Holiday Giving Program, which will be given to Cornerstone's Holiday Shop and VEAP's Holiday Toy Drive. Donations can also be brought to the Dec. 8 meeting and to the Rotary Holiday Party Dec. 15. Cash and check donations are accepted.
Diligently working the front desk with Jen Garske was Tom Ries. Madame President Ann Platt began the meeting with a sincere thank you to Michael Stanzak and Mary Hustad for all their work on another successful Thanksgiving Basket meeting. Great job Mary and Michael.
A very thoughtful invocation was brought to us by John Buttolph, with an excellent quote from Ben Franklin. Chuck Agan introduced the following guests and visiting Rotarians:
Greg Yoch's guest wasGary Johns
Dave Hatzung's guest was Tim Soterberg
Scott Neal's guest was Tara Brown
Keith Benson's guest was Marlo Stageberg
Hokyn Lee from South Korea was a visiting Rotarian at the meeting.
Edina Morningside Rotary Club member Dick Crockett was also in attendance.
Dan Hallberg announced the dates and location of this year's Salvation Army’s Bell Ringing for our club, and that one day of the bell ringing will be in honor of Joel Jennings. All donations collected that day during our club's time ringing the bell will be matched! Members will be ringing at Jerry's Foods on Vernon Avenue in Edina from 2 to 8 p.m. Dec. 19 through 22, and from 2 to 6 p.m. on Dec. 23. Wednesday, Dec. 21, is Ring for Joel Day.
Membership Committee Member and Past President Steve Slyce inducted our newest member, Jen Tregarthen, at the meeting. Jen is sponsored by Greg Yoch. Jen is new to our club but not to Rotary as she was a member of the Norman Sooner Rotary Club in Oklahoma. Welcome Jen.
Mike Kallas introduced one of our 2015–2016 outbound Youth Exchange students, Walter Sullivan, who gave an informative review of his experience in Sweden. Steve Buettner brought our Edina High School students guests, Eric Etukyo and Emily Neville, (former neighbor and talented kid).
Our program was brought to us by Tom Bach, Edina West Class of '79, who has had a distinguished career with Northwest Airlines and United HealthCare. Tom introduced Scott F. Wolter who is a forensic geologist and petrographer. Wolter graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Geology and Earth Science from the University of Minnesota–Duluth in 1982. Professionally, he has worked as a petrographer since 1985.
Wolter is the host of History channel's hit show "America Unearthed," which follows him on his quest to uncover the truth behind controversial historic artifacts. He also co-hosted History’s "Pirate Treasure of the Knights Templar" about late 17th century pirate shipwrecks, Freemasons and the Knights Templar.
Scott did an excellent job of tailoring his program to fit our timeline. Scott has an ongoing quest to uncover the mysteries of the controversial Kensington Rune Stone he examined in 2001. We discovered only about half of the members and guests present knew about the Kensington Rune Stone. As Scott explained, the Kensington Rune Stone is a medieval document carved in rock. Scott proposed it is a land claim, carved in Minnesota in 1362. It is said to have been written by a party of Templar Knights. The rune stone was found in Kensington, Minnesota, by Olof Ohman in 1890 in the roots of an Aspen tree. As said, the runes were caked with mud so Olof used a nail to scratch them out and attempt to read them. Those scratch marks would haunt the rune stone as detractors claimed that they were the marks of recent carving. In fact the scratches are down in the runes and the remainder of the carved surfaces show obvious weathering compared to the scratches. The runes were quite old, certainly older than the 20 years Olof had been in the area. Scott conducted a study to compare the weathering of the rune stone to other similar stones exposed to similar climate for a known period in order to deduce an age. Tombstones of slate in Maine that were approximately 200 years old were selected. Samples were taken with permission and studied. The carvings on the tombstones did not have complete mica deterioration and the rune stone did. This made it possible to conclude that the rune stone was carved more than 200 years ago. This of course, rules out any any hoax and any conclusion other than the rune stone is an artifact of pre-Columbian European contact. More information can be found at http://scottwolteranswers.blogspot.com/2016/02/kensington-rune-stone-deception.html
In 1990, Scott founded American Petrographic Services and continues to serve as president. He has been the principal petrographer in more than 7,000 material forensic investigations throughout the world, including the evaluation of fire-damaged concrete from the Pentagon following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Scott quest to find Jeff Ohe's heart has come up empty, but he did find a big ego.
Leann Stessman thanked Scott, and Madame President Platt concluded another successful meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina joined with Edina Morningside Rotary Club and the Interact Club of Edina High School Nov. 23 to assemble and deliver 77 Thanksgiving Baskets to families in need in our community. Almost 170 Rotarians, friends and family gathered to help with the event!
Click on the link to see more photos from this wonderful joint project between our club and EMRC...
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Scott F. Wolter as the program speaker at the Thursday, Dec. 1, meeting. Wolter is a forensic geologist and petrographer and will speak about "The Kensington Rune Stone Mystery Solved."
Wolter, best known as the host of History channel's hit show "America Unearthed," which follows him on his quest to uncover the truth behind controversial historic artifacts and sites found throughout North America, and beyond. He also co-hosted History’s "Pirate Treasure of the Knights Templar" about late 17th century pirate shipwrecks, Freemasons and the Knights Templar.
Wolter is also the author of several books including "Akhenaten to the Founding Fathers: The Mysteries of the Hooked X" and "The Hooked X: Key to the Secret History of North America." Together these books cover the story of his continuing research and resulting discoveries made over the last 15 years, beginning with his ongoing quest to uncover the mysteries of the controversial Kensington Rune Stone he examined in 2001. The Kensington stone is a medieval document carved in rock which Scott proposed is a land claim, carved in Minnesota in 1362, by a party of Templar Knights.
Wolter graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Geology and Earth Science from the University of Minnesota–Duluth in 1982. Professionally, he has worked as a petrographer since 1985. In 1990, he founded American Petrographic Services and continues to serve as President. He has been the principal petrographer in more than 7,000 material forensic investigations throughout the world, including the evaluation of fire-damaged concrete from the Pentagon following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
New member Jen Tregarthen will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
It is hard to believe that Thanksgiving is in the rearview mirror and the winter holidays are fast approaching. As Edina Rotarians, we have many blessings that we can count. Last Wednesday, Nov. 23, Michael Stanzak, with assistance from Mary Hustad, made arrangements for 77 Thanksgiving Baskets to be delivered to families in need in our community. More than 100 Rotary Club of Edina members with family and friends, along with 55 Edina Morningside Rotary Club members and guests, as well as eight members of the Edina High School Interact Club, assembled and delivered the baskets. This was a record number of helpers—almost 170!
Our Community Service—Local Funding Committee is busy vetting grant requests. These monies are available due to the success of this year’s Edina Rotary Foundation Fundraiser & Gala, which netted $105,000. This would not have occurred without the leadership of gala Co-Chairs Sam Thompson and Leann Stessman. They put together an amazing evening with both exciting silent and live auction items and lively entertainment so that we could meet our revenue goal while having fun. Kudos to both Sam and Leann.
Congratulations also to Marty Kupper and Mike Opitz, who organized another successful raffle as part of the 2016 Fundraiser & Gala. They have coordinated the distribution and collection of the raffle tickets for the past 10 years, and it is estimated that the club has netted over $160,000! Marty and Mike are the Raffle Kings!
There are many activities coming up in December and hopefully each of you will donate a gift for those less fortunate through our Rotary Holiday Giving Program (bring donations to the Dec. 1 and 8 meetings), sign up for Salivation Army bell ringing (contact Dan Hallberg) and attend the Rotary Holiday Party on Dec. 15 (register now!).
Edina Rotarians are invited to participate in an Edina Chamber of Commerce survey that is collecting stakeholder and community input to direct the economic development strategy for the city of Edina. This strategy is expected to guide activities in the community over the next ten years. This survey is not a city project, but is from the Chamber.
Future iQ Partners is collecting this information for area organizations and you may answer the survey anonymously.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Scott F. Wolter as the program speaker at the Thursday, Dec. 1, meeting. Wolter is a forensic geologist and petrographer and will speak about "The Kensington Rune Stone Mystery Solved." He is founder and president of American Petrographic Services, headquartered in St. Paul. He is also an author and host of History channel's television show, "American Unearthed."
New member Jen Tregarthen will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
A total of 169 people were greeted by our Chairman of this event of many years, the Honorable and Ever Enthusiastic Michael Stanzak. We also had three District 5950 Governors in attendance, and a crew from Korea filming this event—more about that later.
Helping out at the front desk for the Thanksgiving Baskets Assembly meeting were Wayne Harmon and Mary Hustad.
Michael Stanzak thanked Mary Hustad, who organized and planned the distribution of the Thanksgiving Baskets. He then thanked some of the people that prior to lunch, picked up some of the food that we packed into our Thanksgiving baskets. Our partners in the Thanksgiving Baskets project, the Edina Morningside Rotary Club, contributed to the event in many ways. Michael thanked Jane Ehresmann, who brought the bread and oranges for the baskets and organized her club's participation. Ted Field, who donated hats and mittens to the baskets through his Warm Hands, Warm Heads, Warm Hearts project. Tom and Erick Ries, Tom Bach, Sam Cote, André Brewer and others put together the boxes for the food distribution. Tom Pirsch and Ted Yoch picked up the pumpkin pies for the baskets. He also thanked Zdenek Kratky of EMRC, who helped with all the canned goods donated by Del Monte, thanks to Rick Brannen.
Wooj Byun, in his most humbled manner, then told about the film crew that has been following him around and were here today. Because he is one of the most successful Rotary Scholars to ever come out of Korea, he is being honored for that and Korea sent this crew here to film him for a few days. Way to go Wooj!
Michael introduced the eight Interact students from Edina High School who were here to help. The Interact Club members told us about some of the current and upcoming projects, including the Skate to End Polio coming up on Feb. 10.
Mark Hegstrom, 2016–2017 Rotary District 5950 Governor, talked for a few minutes about community service and about his Thanksgiving Basket delivery last year and how emotionally rewarding that was to him and his wife, Colleen.
Michael Stanzak then shared the following story, a classic familiar to those who have attended Thanksgiving Baskets in past years:
A Father, a Daughter and a Dog A true story by Catherine Moore
"Watch out! You nearly broad sided that car!" My father yelled at me. "Can't you do anything right?"
Those words hurt worse than blows. I turned my head toward the elderly man in the seat beside me, daring me to challenge him. A lump rose in my throat as I averted my eyes. I wasn't prepared for another battle.
"I saw the car, Dad . Please don't yell at me when I'm driving..."
My voice was measured and steady, sounding far calmer than I really felt.
Dad glared at me, then turned away and settled back. At home I left Dad in front of the television and went outside to collect my thoughts...dark, heavy clouds hung in the air with a promise of rain. The rumble of distant thunder seemed to echo my inner turmoil. What could I do about him?
Dad had been a lumberjack in Washington and Oregon. He had enjoyed being outdoors and had reveled in pitting his strength against the forces of nature. He had entered grueling lumberjack competitions, and had placed often. The shelves in his house were filled with trophies that attested to his prowess.
The years marched on relentlessly. The first time he couldn't lift a heavy log, he joked about it; but later that same day I saw him outside alone, straining to lift it. He became irritable whenever anyone teased him about his advancing age, or when he couldn't do something he had done as a younger man.
Four days after his sixty-seventh birthday, he had a heart attack. An ambulance sped him to the hospital while a paramedic administered CPR to keep blood and oxygen flowing.
At the hospital, Dad was rushed into an operating room. He was lucky; he survived. But something inside Dad died. His zest for life was gone. He obstinately refused to follow doctor's orders. Suggestions and offers of help were turned aside with sarcasm and insults. The number of visitors thinned, then finally stopped altogether. Dad was left alone..
My husband, Dick, and I asked Dad to come live with us on our small farm. We hoped the fresh air and rustic atmosphere would help him adjust.
Within a week after he moved in, I regretted the invitation. It seemed nothing was satisfactory. He criticized everything I did. I became frustrated and moody. Soon I was taking my pent-up anger out on Dick. We began to bicker and argue.
Alarmed, Dick sought out our pastor and explained the situation. The clergyman set up weekly counseling appointments for us. At the close of each session he prayed, asking God to soothe Dad's troubled mind.
But the months wore on and God was silent. Something had to be done and it was up to me to do it.
The next day I sat down with the phone book and methodically called each of the mental health clinics listed in the Yellow Pages. I explained my problem to each of the sympathetic voices that answered in vain.
Just when I was giving up hope, one of the voices suddenly exclaimed, "I just read something that might help you! Let me go get the article.."
I listened as she read. The article described a remarkable study done at a nursing home. All of the patients were under treatment for chronic depression. Yet their attitudes had proved dramatically when they were given responsibility for a dog.
I drove to the animal shelter that afternoon. After I filled out a questionnaire, a uniformed officer led me to the kennels. The odor of disinfectant stung my nostrils as I moved down the row of pens. Each contained five to seven dogs. Long-haired dogs, curly-haired dogs, black dogs, spotted dogs all jumped up, trying to reach me. I studied each one but rejected one after the other for various reasons—too big, too small, too much hair. As I neared the last pen a dog in the shadows of the far corner struggled to his feet, walked to the front of the run and sat down. It was a pointer, one of the dog world's aristocrats. But this was a caricature of the breed.
Years had etched his face and muzzle with shades of gray. His hip bones jutted out in lopsided triangles. But it was his eyes that caught and held my attention. Calm and clear, they beheld me unwaveringly.
I pointed to the dog. "Can you tell me about him?" The officer looked, then shook his head in puzzlement. "He's a funny one. Appeared out of nowhere and sat in front of the gate. We brought him in, figuring someone would be right down to claim him. That was two weeks ago and we've heard nothing. His time is up tomorrow." He gestured helplessly.
As the words sank in I turned to the man in horror. "You mean you're going to kill him?"
"Ma'am," he said gently, "that's our policy. We don't have room for every unclaimed dog."
I looked at the pointer again. The calm brown eyes awaited my decision. "I'll take him," I said. I drove home with the dog on the front seat beside me. When I reached the house I honked the horn twice. I was helping my prize out of the car when Dad shuffled onto the front porch.
"Ta-da! Look what I got for you, Dad!" I said excitedly.
Dad looked, then wrinkled his face in disgust. "If I had wanted a dog I would have gotten one. And I would have picked out a better specimen than that bag of bones. Keep it! I don't want it!" Dad waved his arm scornfully and turned back toward the house.
Anger rose inside me. It squeezed together my throat muscles and pounded into my temples. "You'd better get used to him, Dad. He's staying!"
Dad ignored me. "Did you hear me, Dad?" I screamed. At those words Dad whirled angrily, his hands clenched at his sides, his eyes narrowed and blazing with hate. We stood glaring at each other like duelists, when suddenly the pointer pulled free from my grasp. He wobbled toward my dad and sat down in front of him. Then slowly, carefully, he raised his paw.
Dad's lower jaw trembled as he stared at the uplifted paw confusion replaced the anger in his eyes. The pointer waited patiently. Then Dad was on his knees hugging the animal.
It was the beginning of a warm and intimate friendship. Dad named the pointer Cheyenne. Together he and Cheyenne explored the community. They spent long hours walking down dusty lanes. They spent reflective moments on the banks of streams, angling for tasty trout. They even started to attend Sunday services together, Dad sitting in a pew and Cheyenne lying quietly at his feet.
Dad and Cheyenne were inseparable throughout the next three years. Dad's bitterness faded, and he and Cheyenne made many friends. Then late one night I was startled to feel Cheyenne's cold nose burrowing through our bed covers. He had never before come into our bedroom at night. I woke Dick, put on my robe and ran into my father's room. Dad lay in his bed, his face serene. But his spirit had left quietly sometime during the night.
Two days later my shock and grief deepened when I discovered Cheyenne lying dead beside Dad's bed. I wrapped his still form in the rag rug he had slept on. As Dick and I buried him near a favorite fishing hole, I silently thanked the dog for the help he had given me in restoring Dad's peace of mind.
The morning of Dad's funeral dawned overcast and dreary. This day looks like the way I feel, I thought, as I walked down the aisle to the pews reserved for family. I was surprised to see the many friends Dad and Cheyenne had made filling the church. The pastor began his eulogy. It was a tribute to both Dad and the dog who had changed his life.
And then the pastor turned to Hebrews 13:2. "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.
"I've often thanked God for sending that angel," he said.
For me, the past dropped into place, completing a puzzle that I had not seen before: the sympathetic voice that had just read the right article... Cheyenne 's unexpected appearance at the animal shelter...his calm acceptance and complete devotion to my father...and the proximity of their deaths. And suddenly I understood. I knew that God had answered my prayers after all.
Life is too short for drama or petty things, so laugh hard, love truly and forgive quickly. Live While You Are Alive. Forgive now those who made you cry. You might not get a second time.
But do share this with someone. Lost time can never be found.
God answers our prayers in His time...not ours.
Michael closed with how "not what we say about our blessings in important, but how we use them is the true meaning of Thanksgiving."
Mary Hustad then announced the 25 groups of Rotarians and friends and relatives who then each packed three of the Thanksgiving boxes they were to deliver. And the two Edina Rotary clubs, as our Past President Bob Stehlik used to say as he closed each of his meetings—"Sow[ed] the Seeds Of Love"—delivering more than 75 Thanksgiving dinners to families in need in our community.
Around 25 Rotary Club of Edina members and guests enjoyed a musical evening out in St. Paul last Saturday, Nov. 19. Organized by Wade Thommen, as part of the Membership Retention Committee, the group enjoyed a social hour followed by dinner at Bonfire Wood Fire Cooking, and then walked to St. Paul's United Church of Christ on Summit Avenue for the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra's "Dvorak's Serenade for Winds" concert.
In the New Year, Director Ken Andersen and the Membership Retention Committee have many fun events planned for members, kicking off with the annual Rotary Bowling Night Jan. 28! Stay tuned for more info on upcoming social events for Rotarians and guests!
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Tom Cook as a member in April 2016. Tom's sponsor to the club was David Clynes. Click on the link to get to know Tom...
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina in The Barker. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Tom Cook as a member in April 2016. Tom's sponsor to the club was David Clynes. Read on to get to know more about Tom...
Name: Tom Cook
Classification: Ministry
What was your first job? I was a grocery clerk and cashier with Winn-Dixie grocers in central Florida.
Who was your first role model and why? My father was certainly my earliest role model. His positive approach to life, good natured relationships, and care for us as a family were (and remain) inspiring.
Why did you want to join Rotary? My father introduced me to Rotary many years ago, and his long experience with the club was very meaningful for him. That planted a seed in me for the same experience. And Rotary Club is a chance to know many of the great people of my new home city and its people in ways that allow us to support the community and each other.
What do you like best about being part of the Rotary Club of Edina? Definitely a fun, well-organized and welcoming group of people. The weekly camaraderie is energizing, and I’m learning a lot about Edina and the area.
What one piece of advice do you offer other business leaders? Successful enterprise begins and thrives where relationships are firm, honest and helpful. Take the time to know the people with whom you work and serve, and be sincere in all you do with them.
We are lucky to have you as a member of the Rotary Club of Edina, Tom!
Thanks again for remembering me with an invitation to the Veterans Day Luncheon. [A] really nice tribute each year or all the vets. Good program, speakers, food and fellowship.
The Rotary Club of Edina’s Board of Directors recently approved the applicant below for membership:
Kim Stoner
Classification: IT Consulting
Sponsor: Jody Kerns
Written objections to the application must be submitted before 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 7, to Rotary Club of Edina, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424.
This Thursday, Dec. 15, is the annual Rotary Holiday Party from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Edina Country Club. Join your fellow Rotarians for a chance to celebrate the holidays with a variety of hearty appetizers and a cash bar. There will be lots of room to sit and relax in the living room to catch up with old and new friends in Rotary.
Payment for guests, as well as Senior Active and Honorary Members, can be made at the door by cash, check or credit card (there is a fee for credit card payments). Cost is $20. Make sure you check in at the registration table when you arrive that evening.
Valet parking will be offered at the ECC. Note that only cash will be accepted to purchase beverages at the bar. The ECC does not have a cash machine on site.
Registration for the Holiday Party has now closed. If you would still like to attend, please contact contact Marty Kupper or Steve Slyce.
The party is your last chance to donate to the Holiday Giving Program! Please bring UNWRAPPED gifts for children of any age (infant all the way through teens) as well as gifts for moms, dads, and families, to the Edina Country Club during the Holiday Party on Thursday. Benefitting from this year's program are Cornerstone's Holiday Shop and VEAP's Holiday Toy Drive. Contact Jean Morrison if you have questions or need ideas for gifts to donate. Thank you!
We hope to see you Thursday evening!
Holiday Party is this Thursday, Dec. 15 at ECC; bring gifts to donate to Holiday Giving Program
Rotary Club of Edina members are encouraged to bring unwrapped gifts, gift cards or cash or check donations to the Dec. 8 meeting! Rotarian Jean Morrison is once again spearheading the effort to spread holiday cheer in our community by donating gifts to families in need this holiday season. This year the Rotary Holiday Giving Program will donate gifts to Cornerstone's Holiday Shop and VEAP's Holiday Toy Drive. Donations can also be brought to the Rotary Holiday Party Dec. 15.
Contact Jean for ideas for gifts or more information about the program.
This Wednesday, Nov. 23, the Rotary Club of Edina will join with the Edina Morningside Rotary Club and friends and family to assemble Thanksgiving Baskets to deliver to families in need in our community this holiday season. We will gather for lunch at 11:45 a.m. at the Edina Country Club, with a short program by Michael Stanzak about the event. Then everyone will work with their team to assemble the baskets with all the fixings for a Thanksgiving dinner. The teams will then deliver the baskets to families in the community.
Registration for the meeting has closed. Please contact Michael Stanzak if you have questions.
There is no Rotary Club of Edina meeting on Thursday, Nov. 24.
Our Nov. 16 meeting was called to order by President Ann Platt. It was announced that the annual Edina Rotary Foundation Fundraiser & Gala held Oct. 1 raised nearly $105,000, which brought a round of applause and whoops and hollers. Well done! Ann thanked Gala Co-Chairs Sam Thompson and Leann Stessman.
Greeters for the meeting were John MacLennan, Kris Maser and André Brewer. Bob Stehlik and Erick Ries helped at the front desk. Valerie Burke gave a lovely invocation with a theme of “gratitude.” She also lead the Pledge of Allegiance and the Rotary Four-Way Test.
David Aase introduced the guests that were present:
Preston Schmidt was a guest of John Mazzara.
Viras Narula was a guest of Royce Pavelka.
Dr. Gary Johnson was a guest of Michael Stanzek.
Theresa Bea was a guest of Sutton McGraw.
Zavier Bicott was a guest of David Clynes.
Kim Stoner was a guest of Jody Kern, and was approved by the board as a member earlier in the day.
Ted Manderfield and David Eichholt were guests of Scott MacDonald. Ted and David, the performers known as Deuces Wild, entertained us at this year's Fundraiser & Gala.
Jackie Harvey was a guest of Bob Harvey.
It was an entertaining lunch, complete with “ingredients” for a perfect Thanksgiving meal. Member Bob Solheim encouraged all to sign up for assembling and delivering Thanksgiving meals to local families in need. Bob announced that over 1,000 families have received Thanksgiving baskets over the years. Join together for lunch on Wednesday, Nov. 23, at 11:45 a.m., then assemble the baskets and deliver them.
Two Edina High School students were guests for this meeting. Member Steve Buettner introduced the students, Christina Orth and Ty Dowda, who each shared a short bio with us. Both students are very involved both in and out of school and have hearts for service. Both will graduate next June and will attend college in the fall of 2017. Clearly, Christina and Ty have bright futures ahead of them. Congratulations to both Edina High School students.
A new member was inducted officially into the club by one of our past presidents, Brad Hepp. André Brewer is sponsored into the Edina Rotary by Sam Cote. André is involved with Camp Lincoln and Camp Lake Hubert and his classification will be Youth Development/Camps. Welcome André.
Our club’s The Rotary Foundation (TRF) Chair, Sue Spalding, introduced the speakers for this meeting. Sue is a former TV news affiliate in the Ames and Des Moines, Iowa, area and is the current CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association of Minnesota and North Dakota. Sue shared that The Rotary Foundation is celebrating 100 years this year and is a “vast source for doing good in the world.” The goal for TRF is “every Rotarian, every year” so that with sustained funding, many more projects around the world can be completed and lives can be changed and dramatically improved. The goal for the TRF campaign this year is 100 percent participation to raise $100,000 for the 100th year. Letters are in the mail to members to promote the campaign.
Sue introduced Past Rotary District Governors Tim Murphy and Jim Nelson. These men shared the importance of supporting TRF each Rotary year. A short clip of a video by Joel Jennings was played. Joel explained that “people who give are happier people.” In the spirit of the motto of the TRF, “Doing Good in the World,” Tim and Jim encouraged all to give generously to the fund. Some examples of the types of projects that are funded by the TRF and matching funds by the District Designated Funds are: water purification and sanitation; disease prevention and treatment; peace and conflict prevention and resolution; maternal and child health; basic education and literacy; economic and community development. This is all in addition to the Polio Plus effort. A suggested minimum donation by each Rotarian is $365 per year or “a dollar a day.” The Rotary Club of Edina has traditionally given the biggest portion of the District’s annual funds to TRF. Way to go Edina Rotary! Tim and Jim thanked all who already give to the TRF and encouraged those who have not given in the past to do so. The mission of The Rotary Foundation is to “enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education and the alleviation of poverty.”
Will Steinke thanked Tim and Jim for their informative presentation. President Ann Platt closed the meeting.
Join us for the Edina Rotary Happy Hour/Vocational Development Group. The December Rotary Happy Hour will be held at a different date and time than usual. The next gathering will be Monday, Dec. 12, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Mezz, located upstairs in Lunds & Byerly's at 7171 France Ave. S. in Edina. Access The Mezz from the entrance closest to France Avenue (SW corner of the store). Wine and craft beer is available at your own cost. A limited menu may be available, but you can also purchase food in the grocery deli and bring it upstairs.
The event will feature a short social period, with a "formal" program beginning at 6 p.m. Each person will have a brief opportunity to introduce themselves and make new connections. A featured presenter will have 15 minutes to share information that is relevant to his or her profession followed by a short Q&A period. The speaker at the Dec. 12 gathering is Dick Crockett of the Edina Community Foundation. Dick is a member of the Edina Morningside Rotary Club.
Other upcoming speakers are:
Jan. 4, 2017—Dan Hennen
Feb. 1, 2017—Sutton McGraw
March 1, 2017—Ann Platt
Rotary Happy Hour is a collaboration between the Rotary Club of Edina and EMRC. Contact Renee Harberts for more information.
The Rotary Club of Edina is collecting holiday gifts for families in need in our community. Rotarian Jean Morrison is spearheading the Holiday Giving Program, and asks that members bring UNWRAPPED gifts for children of any age (infant all the way through teens) as well as gifts for moms, dads, and families, to the Edina Country Club in December. The gifts can still be dropped off at the Dec. 8 meeting, or at the Holiday Party on Thursday, Dec. 15. Gift cards, cash or check donations are also welcome at the Dec. 8 meeting. Jean will take the funds donated and buy gift cards or other gifts to be donated as well. This year, the organizations benefiting from the Edina Rotary Holiday Giving Program will be:
• Cornerstone—every year for the holidays, Cornerstone hosts the Holiday Shop for the families they serve. The Holiday Shop gives children from abusive homes the opportunity to shop for gifts for their parents and siblings. Cornerstone is a nonprofit agency that serves adults and children who have been impacted by domestic violence, sexual violence and/or human trafficking. Cornerstone believes that together, we can ease the stress of the season and make the holidays brighter for families who are rebuilding their lives.
• VEAP—the annual Holiday Toy Drive collects gifts for children for the holidays. The holidays can be a challenging time for low-income families. Often, parents must choose between purchasing holiday gifts or maintaining the basic necessities of every day life. The goal of VEAP's Toy Drive is to provide one toy (a $10–$20 value), one book and two winter-wear items per child and one game per household for low-income families in Bloomington, Richfield, Edina and south Minneapolis. VEAP is a non-profit, social service agency that assists low-income families in these communities.
If you have questions about the program, or need gift ideas for children or families, contact Jean Morrison at jean@jeanmorrisonhr.com.
Thank you for sharing your holiday spirit with those in need!
The Rotary Club of Edina meeting this Thursday, Nov. 17, will focus on The Rotary Foundation. With the 2016–2017 TRF campaign kicking off, the program at the meeting will be introduced by our club's TRF Chair Sue Spalding. Past District 5950 Governors Tim Murphy and Jim Nelson will speak about TRF, sharing with members the importance of supporting TRF each Rotary year.
See below for info about next week's Thanksgiving Baskets Assembly, Wednesday, Nov. 23.
The Rotary Club of Edina meeting this Thursday, Nov 17, will focus on The Rotary Foundation. With the 2016–2017 TRF campaign kicking off, the program at the meeting will be introduced by our club's TRF Chair Sue Spalding. Past District 5950 Governors Tim Murphy and Jim Nelson will speak about TRF, sharing with members the importance of supporting TRF each Rotary year.
New member André Brewer will officially be inducted into the club at the meeting.
Next week's Rotary meeting is Thanksgiving Baskets Assembly, with the Edina Morningside Rotary Club, Wednesday, Nov. 23. Please sign up yourself and any guests here by Nov. 17 to join in for this special event. We will assemble baskets with all the fixings for a Thanksgiving meal, and then teams will deliver the baskets to those in need in our community. This annual project is a great way for you and your family to give back before the holiday. Contact Michael Stanzak for more information.
There is no Rotary meeting Thursday, Nov. 24.
Past District Governors to speak about TRF at Nov. 17 meeting
The eight southwest metro Rotary clubs hosted our annual Rotary salute to veterans on Friday, Nov. 11, at Bearpath Golf and Country Club in Eden Prairie. Greeters for our club were Shelly Loberg, Scott MacDonald and Brad Hepp. Helping sign in guests and members at the front desk were San Asato and Marty Kupper.
District 5950 Governor Mark Hegstrom welcomed the more than 250 Rotarians and guests and introduced Edina Rotarian Brigadier General Dennis Schulstad (Ret) as the emcee for the program promptly at 11:30 a.m.
After the Presentation of the Colors by the Chanhassen American Legion Post No. 80 Color Guard, our emcee led the Pledge of Allegiance. The Rotary Brass Quintet, led by Edina Morningside Rotarian Mary Brindle, accompanied us in our National Anthem. Chaplain Lt. Col. Jerome Fehn then gave the invocation.
Following lunch, our emcee introduced Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who gave a salute to our veterans. She noted that while we have just finished one of the most difficult elections of our time, we must focus on things that bring us together, not what divides us. Patriotism is a good example—it is the love of country that brings us together.
Emcee Schulstad asked all of the veterans present to stand as their service song was played. The highlight occurred when he asked the four WWII vets to stand and be recognized. That quartet included our own Edina Rotarian Harold Hanson. They were greeted by a standing ovation from everyone in the room.
He then introduced our keynote speaker, Brigadier General Sandra Best. She is the first female general in the history of the Minnesota Air National Guard, and comes from a family of service veterans. Her grandfather served in WWI in1918.
General Best emphasized several key points:
Service in the military parallels our Rotary motto—Service Above Self.
We need to also recognize our veterans’ families.
Many more women are now serving in the military.
22.8 percent of Minnesota Air National Guard and 17 percent of Minnesota Army National Guard are women.
We work to separate the politics from the participants.
Memorial Day is a time for somber remembrance.
Veterans Day is a time of triumph.
Our emcee thanked the speaker and ended the program at 1:05 p.m. after the Colors were retired.
This Wednesday, Nov. 23, the Rotary Club of Edina will join with the Edina Morningside Rotary Club and friends and family to assemble Thanksgiving Baskets to deliver to families in need in our community this holiday season. Almost 100 members of our club and guests have registered to attend, along with more than 20 Interact students! We will gather for lunch at 11:45 a.m. at the Edina Country Club, with a short program by Michael Stanzak about the event. Then everyone will work with their team to assemble the baskets with all the fixings for a Thanksgiving dinner. The teams will then deliver the baskets to families in the community.
Registration for the meeting has closed. Please contact Michael Stanzak if you have questions.
There is no Rotary Club of Edina meeting on Thursday, Nov. 24.
Posted by Peter Kelley, Camp E Chair on Nov 08, 2016
The light drizzle Saturday, Oct. 29, could do nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of almost 100 Camp Enterprise students and the dozens of Rotarian volunteers as they cheered the final keynote speaker and waited to learn who wowed the volunteer venture capitalists and who would be awarded scholarships. With only five winners, the latter was a tough choice because every student hit it out of the park. According to one venture capitalist, "This group is going to fix the world's problems!"
Many thanks to the dedicated group of volunteers who made 2016 Camp Enterprise a rousing success. Sam Thompson is already on the lookout for help for 2017!
For more photos from the event, click on the link below or go to our Camp E Facebook page. Give the Camp E Facebook page a like while you are there!
Posted by Peter Kelley, Camp E Chair on Nov 08, 2016
The light drizzle Saturday, Oct. 29, could do nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of almost 100 Camp Enterprise students and the dozens of Rotarian volunteers as they cheered the final keynote speaker and waited to learn who wowed the volunteer venture capitalists and who would be awarded scholarships. With only five winners, the latter was a tough choice because every student hit it out of the park. According to one venture capitalist, "This group is going to fix the world's problems!"
Many thanks to the dedicated group of volunteers who made 2016 Camp Enterprise a rousing success. Sam Thompson is already on the lookout for help for 2017!
The Area 3 Rotary Veterans Luncheon will be Friday, Nov. 11 at Bearpath Golf and Country Club, 18100 Bearpath Trail, Eden Prairie. Registration begins at 11 a.m. with live music, with the luncheon beginning at 11:15 and concluding at 1:15 p.m.
Our club is one of eight southwest metro Rotary clubs in District 5950 to sponsor this special Veterans Day Luncheon to honor those who have served our country. The keynote speaker at the luncheon will be Brigadier General Sandra Best. She was named the first female general in the history of the Minnesota National Guard earlier this year. Emcee of the luncheon is General Denny Schulstad, U.S. Air Force (retired), a member of the Rotary Club of Edina.
Registration for the luncheon has closed. For questions, contact President-Elect San Asato.
Our Nov. 3 meeting was called to order by our very capable president, Ann Platt. With the help of media giant Paul Peterson, we watched and listened to a video of the history of Rotary, 100 years of doing good both globally and in our own communities.
We were greeted by members of Edina Rotary Club as well as members from the Edina Morningside Rotary Club. Steve Buettner lead us in the invocation, where he asked us not bow our heads, but instead to take a look around the room at all the men and women dedicated to helping improve the lives of others. He then lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance and the Rotary Four-Way Test.
As this was a large and special Rotary meeting—shared with members from area Rotary clubs including Bloomington Daymakers, Bloomington Noon, Eagan Kick-Start, Eden Prairie AM, Eden Prairie Noon, Edina Morningside, Minneapolis City of Lakes, Minneapolis University, Minneapolis Uptown, Minnetonka and Richfield—guests and visiting Rotarians were asked to stand and be recognized as a group rather than being individually introduced. We were honored to have in attendance District 5950 Governor Mark Hegstrom and his wife, Colleen Hegstrom, as well as past District Governors Tim Murphy, Jim Nelson, Diann Kirby, Holly Callen and Sandy Schley.
Kip Peterson, 2015 chair of Camp Enterprise and a volunteer at this year's Camp E, gave a re-cap of the successful three-day leadership camp. Ninety-nine students attended the camp at the end of October, and Edina High School student Ava Lusty thanked both Edina Rotary clubs for the opportunity to attend 2016 Camp E and explained how much she learned and what fantastic experience it was.
Kim Ross, Eden Prairie Noon President and chair of this year's Area 3 Rotary Veterans Luncheon, announced the event will be Friday, Nov. 11, at Bearpath Golf and Country Club in Eden Prairie. The speaker will be Brigadier General Sandra Best.
President Ann Platt reminded us to sign up for Rotary Chamber Mixer Nov. 9 and Thanksgiving Baskets Nov. 23, both at the Edina Country Club.
Past District Governor Tim Murphy introduced our esteemed speaker, Rotary International Vice President Jennifer Jones. Jennifer serves on the Rotary International Board of Directors and is a member of the Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland in Ontario, Canada. She spoke about the “Future of Rotary." She reminded us that what separates Rotary from other service organizations comes down to three key findings:
We are leaders—leaders by mindset.
Connectivity—we make global connections.
We are a community service club scaled globally—we go as big or as little as we want.
Jeff Ohe thanked Jennifer for her inspirational talk. Ann closed the meeting with a quote about friendship and reminded us that we join Rotary for the networking but stay for the friendships we make.
I had the opportunity to spend some time at Camp Enterprise this past week and I was so elated to see so many long-time Rotarians, and new members, who were volunteering to ensure that 100 high school students had a learning experience about leadership roles and techniques in team development. All Rotarians should consider volunteering at this event. Next year Sam Thompson from our club will be chairing Camp E.
I'm excited that this week we have the rare opportunity to host a Rotary International Vice President and trustee, Jennifer Jones. Some of the clubs in our area are cancelling their meetings this week and attending our meeting. This will give their members the privilege of hearing Jennifer's talk about "The Future of Rotary." She is an inspirational speaker and you will not walk away disappointed. Members of Bloomington Noon, Edina Morningside, Eden Prairie Noon, along with other club's members, will be in attendance. Early arrival is encouraged.
Be sure to wear your Rotary pin to this week's meeting!
Join us for the Edina Rotary Happy Hour/Vocational Development Group. The next gathering will be tonight, Wednesday, Nov. 2, from 5:30 to 7 p.m.at The Mezz, located upstairs in Lunds & Byerly's at 7171 France Ave. S. in Edina. Access The Mezz from the entrance closest to France Avenue (SW corner of the store). Wine and craft beer is available at your own cost. A limited menu may be available, but you can also purchase food in the grocery deli and bring it upstairs.
The event will feature a short social period, with a "formal" program beginning at 6 p.m. Each person will have a brief opportunity to introduce themselves and make new connections. A featured presenter will have 15 minutes to share information that is relevant to his or her profession followed by a short Q&A period. The speaker at the Nov. 2 gathering is Jim Bizal of Bizal Built. Jim is a member of the Edina Morningside Rotary Club.
The December Rotary happy will be moved to Monday, Dec. 12. The speaker will be Dick Crockett of the Edina Community Foundation. He is a member of EMRC.
Rotary Happy Hour is a collaboration between the Rotary Club of Edina and EMRC. Contact Renee Harberts for more information.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Rotary International Vice President Jennifer E. Jones as program speaker at the Thursday, Nov. 3, meeting. Jones serves as Rotary International Board of Directors Vice President in 2016–2017 and is a member of the Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland in Ontario, Canada. Jones will speak about "The Future of Rotary."
Jones is president and CEO of Media Street Productions Inc. She actively participates on many boards in her community, including as chair of the Board of Governors of the University of Windsor.
Before serving on the Rotary International Board of Directors and becoming Vice President, Jones served Rotary as RI president’s representative; RI training leader; committee adviser, member, and vice chair; Rotary public image area and zone coordinator; leaders’ seminar trainer; moderator; and district governor. Jones is a recipient of RI’s Service Above Self Award. She and her husband, Nicholas Krayacich, are members of the Arch Klumph Society, Paul Harris Society, and Bequest Society of The Rotary Foundation. She is a member of the Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland,Ontario, Canada.
We will welcome Rotarians from area clubs to our meeting to hear Vice President Jones speak. Cash and check payments are accepted at the front desk. Credit card payments will not be accepted at the Nov. 3 meeting.
All Rotarians are encouraged to wear their Rotary pins to the meeting Nov. 3!
Next week is the Area 3 Rotary Veterans Luncheon on Friday, Nov. 11. Today is the last day to register to attend the Veterans Luncheon. There is no meeting Thursday, Nov. 10.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Rotary International Vice President Jennifer E. Jones as program speaker at the Thursday, Nov. 3, meeting. Jones serves as Rotary International Board of Directors Vice President in 2016–2017 and is a member of the Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland in Ontario, Canada. Jones will speak about "The Future of Rotary."
We will welcome Rotarians from area clubs to our meeting to hear Vice President Jones speak. We gather at 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club.
A wonderful performance on the violin by Ellie Kile, a senior at Edina High School, was given as members and guests arrived and were served lunch. Steve Slyce stepped in for PresidentAnn Platt, opening the meeting with the professionalism and performance considered to be on par with that given by the Ohe children.
You were greeted by David Kunz, André Brewer, Susan Johnson and Jen Tregarthen. Helping at the front desk was Ross Peterson. Stan Brown gave our invocation and led us in the Pledge of Allegiance and the Rotary Four-Way Test.
Jeff Ohe introduced guests and visiting Rotarians:
Libby Schmit introduced her "guest," a baby due March 17! Congratulations, Libby!
Greg Schwartz—guest of Wooj Byun
Lisa Loushin Kroskin—guest of Bjorn Freudenthal
Margaret Li—visiting Rotarian from Plymouth Rotary Club
Steve Buettner introduced our student guests, MacAllister Balcer and Frances Bray. Both are seniors at Edina High School.
Ross Peterson gave his classification presentation. Ross is founder and president of Multiventure Properties, Inc. Started in 1984, from a spacious office space located in the Hatzung Insurance Offices complete with the cutting edge Apple 2 computers, Ross grew the full-service Association Management for Condominiums and Townhome Common Interest Communities business. Ross and his wife, Gail, currently reside in Prior Lake. They raised three children, who all currently reside in Eden Prairie, and spend every Sunday with Gail and Ross. Ross enjoys theater and is currently involved with the board of Full Circle Theater Company.
Wade Thommen and Ken Andersen introduced Ellie Kile, who performed a piece composed by Bach as an introduction for the upcoming Rotary musical evening in St. Paul set for Saturday, Nov. 19. Rotarians and guests can enjoy dinner and drinks at Bonfire Wood Fire Cooking starting at 5 p.m. with a social hour, followed by dinner at 6 p.m. Then everyone will take a short two-block walk to St. Paul United Church of Christ for a performance by the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra’s wind section at 8 p.m. Cost is $52 per person for dinner and tickets (food ordered during the social hour is paid by members/guests with a cash bar). Register here or contact Wade for more information.
Jean Morrison was then introduced by Steve to present our speaker for the day, Jennifer Smith, founder and CEO of Innovative Office Solutions (IOS). Jennifer began IOS in 2001 with a vision of making working professionals more productive. Since then her entrepreneurial spirit has helped expand IOS to touch on every area of office life and become a single-source office solutions company. This year, IOS was named one of the fastest growing companies in the United States, with sales growth of 84 percent in the last three years.
Jennifer noted Slyce’s “on-time” anxiety and launched into a synopsis of what she has learned in the 15 years of leading IOS. She said there were many entrepreneurs in the room, and that there are three things entrepreneurs have in common: Risk, Reinvention and ROL.
Year 1—launched IOS during a recession. Learned about mitigating risk.
Year 2 and 3—marketing: partnered with sports teams, thus associating with a more powerful brand and wrapping in charitable programs.
Year 4—acquired a company.
Year 5—culture: the purpose around culture is that relationships matter. This realization led the company to understand how to scale and treat clients and build relationships
Year 6—reinvent: entered the school market.
Year 7—feeling good! IOS voted one of the best places to work in Minnesota!
Year 8 (9,10 and 11)—2008—BIG RECESSION: IOS was an efficient and well run company. There was no fat to be cut—$15 million in sales, 25 employees (only four more than when they started!). What to do? DOUBLE DOWN! Opportunity was to bet on “things." So IOS invested in people, technology and branding. IOS grew 50, 75, and 50 percent consecutively over the following three years. This is where Jennifer brought in ROL, the third thing she believes entrepreneurs have in common—Return on Luck!
Year 12, 13, 14—movement toward a paperless society. With 50 percent of revenue generated in paper sales, this was a challenge to overcome. How to retain clients, make up for a 5 percent annual decline in paper sales? IOS added furniture to their product line and created a new category. This action led to winning the US Bank Stadium business of furnishing the offices.
Year 15—another acquisition.
Year 16—reached $100 million in revenue and now have 100+ employees!
Jennifer closed her presentation with the question: “What risks are you taking? What would happen if your 'paper' were gone—how would you reinvent? Relationships are VERY important! Always be aware of opportunities—may be complementary product mix or customer-driven.
Jennifer then took questions from the audience:
What is next for IOS? Take products into solutions and services—IOS is working on building a service business of moving furniture for events, etc., for large clients as a result of their relationship with US Bank Stadium, and the opportunity to assist the client with this need. IOS is also exploring opportunities to provide service for 3-D printers.
How does IOS plan for online competition, such as Amazon? IOS already provides next-day delivery. In addition, IOS provides a “desk-top” service that goes above a simple delivery service.
Some accomplishments of IOS, according to the speaker:
Ranked for four years on the Minnesota Business 100 Best Places to Work.
Ranked for four years in the 50 Fastest Growing Women Owned/Led Companies in North America, presented by the Women's Presidents Organization.
Ranked for seven years on the Inc 5000 fastest growing privately held companies in America
University of Minnesota Supplier of the Year Award in 2011 and 2013
Jennifer’s progressive thinking extends beyond her own business. She is also a tireless participant in local business and community organizations. As a leader and a woman working in business, she is very active as a mentor with the Women Venture Organization and as a member of the Forum for the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). Jennifer recently traveled to Rwanda to support, bring awareness and fundraise for female-owned businesses there. IOS supports and funds several charities and programs throughout the Twin Cities.
Married for 29 years, Jennifer remains active in her family and the community. With two children growing up fast, her involvement with their athletics has turned into a track record of coaching, fundraising and volunteering.
Josh Sprague thanked Jennifer for joining us and sharing her wisdom.
Steve Slyce closed with this quote from Thomas Edison: “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”
Meeting adjourned “on time.” An anxiety-free Steve rang the bell!
The annual Area 3 Rotary Veterans Luncheon is this Friday, Nov. 11, at Bearpath Golf and Country Club, 18100 Bearpath Trail, Eden Prairie. Registration begins at 11 a.m. with live music, with the luncheon beginning at 11:15 and concluding at 1:15 p.m.
Our club is one of eight southwest metro Rotary clubs in District 5950 to sponsor this special Veterans Day Luncheon to honor those who have served our country. The keynote speaker at the luncheon will be Brigadier General Sandra Best. She was named the first female general in the history of the Minnesota National Guard earlier this year. Emcee of the luncheon is General Denny Schulstad, U.S. Air Force (retired), a member of the Rotary Club of Edina.
Each Rotarian was invited to bring up to two veterans as guests of our club, and Senior Active and Honorary Rotarians who are veterans may attend free of charge. Cost for guests that are not veterans will be $25. Payment can be made at the door, or charged on members' next quarterly invoice. The Veterans Luncheon will take the place of our club's regular meeting that week, so there is no additional charge for regular Rotary Club of Edina members to attend. Senior Active or Honorary members who are not veterans will be charged the usual $20.
The Rotary Club of Edina, along with the Edina Chamber of Commerce and Edina Morningside Rotary club, will host a mixer for members and prospective members tomorrow, Wednesday, Nov. 9, at the Edina Country Club. The gathering will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. and will be a fun evening of connection and cross pollination.
All Rotarians and Chamber members should bring a guest to the gathering. Guests will learn more about these great local organizations, and have a chance to network with membership. This is a great opportunity to meet area business leaders who actively serve our community and learn more about each organization's upcoming programs and activities. Non-members are cordially welcome to attend and see if Rotary or Chamber membership is for you.
Registration for the mixer ended Monday, Nov. 7. Contact Erica Hollom at the Chamber or Greg Yoch for more details.
You have two more chances to take part in the annual Fall Fireside Chats! Gordy Lewis will host members at his home tonight, Tuesday, Oct. 25. And Josh Sprague will host the final Fall Fireside Chat on Thursday evening, Oct. 27.
The Fireside Chats are informal social exchanges for members to enjoy and learn about Rotary and get to know one another or reconnect. All members are encouraged to attend one or more of the Fireside Chats. New members are especially encouraged to attend and get to know your fellow Rotarians in a relaxed atmosphere.
Fall Fireside Chat hosted by Gordy Lewis
7 to 9 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 25
6824 Chapel Lane, Edina
Registration is still open and Gordy would love for you to attend! Click here to register.
Fall Fireside Chat hosted by Josh Sprague
7 to 9 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 27
4720 70th St. W., Edina
Don't miss the final Fall Fireside Chat at the home of Josh Sprague. If you aren't scheduled to be at Camp E, click here to register.
Thanks to all four of our hosts for this fall's Fireside Chat gatherings!
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Jennifer Smith as program speaker at the Thursday, Oct. 27, meeting. Smith is the founder and CEO of Innovative Office Solutions. She will speak about "Reinvention, Risk and ROL."
Rotarian Ross Peterson will give his classification talk at the meeting.
Register now for a musical night out in St. Paul with your fellow Rotarians! The Membership Retention Committee invites Rotarians and guests for a social hour and dinner followed by a St. Paul Chamber Orchestra concert. We will gather at Bonfire Wood Fire Cooking, 850 Grand Ave. in St. Paul at 5 p.m. for the social hour. From 6 to 7:30, we will have dinner at the restaurant, which is only two blocks from the concert venue and is in the premier dining and entertainment area of St. Paul.
Then we will walk over to St. Paul's United Church of Christ, 900 Summit Ave., for the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra's "Dvorak's Serenade for Winds" concert, which begins at 8 p.m. The SPCO's wind section is featured in this lively program, featuring works from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Cost for dinner and the concert is $52 per person. The social hour will have a cash bar and any food ordered from 5 to 6 p.m. will be at the member's or guest's own cost.
Go here to register soon, as space is limited. Contact Wade Thommen with any questions.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Jennifer Smith as program speaker at the Thursday, Oct. 27, meeting. Smith is the founder and CEO of Innovative Office Solutions. She will speak about "Reinvention, Risk and ROL."
Rotarian Ross Peterson will give his classification talk at the meeting.
The always effervescent President Ann Platt (definition: lively, enthusiastic; not the giving-off-bubbles, fizzy definition) opened the meeting, with the aid of her capable media and musical side-kick Paul Peterson, by presenting a video of the tremendous service and support the club provides in our community and globally.
You were greeted by Jack Kennefick, Jody Kern and Jen Tregarthen. Helping at the front desk were Marty Hustad, Susan Johnson and Paul Peterson. Royce Pavelka, Kenny Smith and Greg Yoch helped welcome prospective members to the meeting.
The invocation was provided Barbara Born, sharing sage words (and a bit of a precursor to our speaker) from the current Minnesota Nobel Literary laureate, Bob Dylan, and his lyrics from “Forever Young." Barbara then led us in the Pledge of Allegiance and the Rotary Four-Way Test.
Ann then stepped back to the podium to introduce our guests on Prospective Member Day, including:
Greg Fink, guest of David Clynes, and a participant in this year's Camp Enterprise
Kim Stoner, guest of Jody Kern
Debbie Townsend, guest of Kaylin Eidsness
Leah Bryd, guest of Val Burke
Chris Amundson, son and guest of Kris Maser
Nick Cardarelle, grandson and guest of Frank Cardarelle
Lisa Christianson, guest of Mary Younggren
Claudio Huerta, Youth Exchange student from Chile and guest of Mike Kallas
Club Announcements
Rotary Leadership Ethics Seminar Joe Hayes shared a wrap-up on the Rotary Leadership Ethics Seminar, also known as "Do the Right Thing," that recently took place. Joe noted what a meaningful experience this day is with 65 students actively engaged with 30 volunteers from Rotary, community and civic leaders and school personnel. The students worked on case studies, had panel discussions and listened to very well-received presentations by Rotarians Brad Beard and Thom Winninger.
Joe extended his thanks to all those that made the seminar so successful and noted that he will be seeking a co-chair in 2017—and will do whatever it takes to find one —ethically of course.
Veterans Luncheon San Asato reminded folks about the Veterans Luncheon on Friday, Nov. 11, at Bearpath Country Club in Eden Prairie. Registration begins at 11 a.m. with live music. Lunch and the program will be from 11:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. You can register here. Rotarians are also encouraged to bring up to two past/present military guests for free. Make sure to register your guests as well. And send in photos of yourself or veterans you might be bringing as guests for use in the slide show before the meeting. You can email photo to San.
Camp Enterprise Ann stated that Camp Enterprise begins on Thursday, Oct. 27, and runs through Saturday, Oct. 29. Sam Thompson shared they are still in need of mentors. If you are interested please contact Sam.
Thanksgiving Baskets Ann wrapped up the announcements reminding Rotarians about the upcoming packing boxes for Thanksgiving Baskets, scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 23, at the Edina Country Club from 11:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Plan to attend this event with your family before the holiday. We were reminded if you know of a person or family who may need some support over the Thanksgiving holiday, contact Mary Hustad or Michael Stanzak.
Sam Thompson was then introduced by Ann to present our featured speaker for the day. Sam had the pleasure of introducing our guest speaker, Mr. Randy Stenger. Randy is the founder and CEO of Extreme Sandbox, which he characterized as “a heavy equipment adventure company that lets people play.”
Randy (aka: Peter Pan—“never grow up”) enthusiastically stated that his presentation would focus on:
How he came up with the concept for Extreme Sandbox
His three learnings
His "Shark Tank" TVeExperience
He started his presentation with a video of the first minute of when he appeared on the TV show "Shark Tank" in January or 2016. Randy baited the hook (sharks, hook, fishing for money, worth a try) and caught all our attention with that first minute. He then moved into his presentation, leaving those of us not having seen the show and what took place hanging—but more on that later (keep reading if you want to find out the ending).
Randy’s concept first starting percolating in his very active and creative mind when he was driving by a construction site with his three boys and the oldest boy, stated “Wouldn’t it be fun to play on that stuff?” So from the mouth of babes, the genesis for a new concept formulated in Randy’s head.
Randy had no prior experience with heavy equipment and in fact had been in law enforcement for six years in Colorado and was at that time working for Target management in the Wisconsin area. But after, as he characterized, some “bar talk” with his brother, Randy felt like it all made perfect sense and jumped into this new venture.
In 2012, he started the business on a part-time basis. Leasing 10 acres of land in Hastings, leasing three pieces of heavy equipment, getting a variance from the city and figuring out the insurance—he began Extreme Sandbox on the weekends.
Eight months later, with business starting to take off, Randy plowed ahead and moved the business into a full-time venture. He bought the 10 acres, built a 6,000-square-foot facility and added additional equipment to the lease. He currently has two sites, the one in Hastings and one north of Dallas on a resort property. Randy shared that they continue to see tremendous growth, with an emphasis on marketing for corporate team building. The company is also currently exploring the possibility of starting a third operation in the Phoenix area.
Randy shared that he has three primary lessons he follows as an entrepreneur and business person:
Take Risks—but smart risks, and don’t be afraid to ask.
The Balloon and the Rock Concept—you need to have a balance with the “big-idea," person—the one “lifting-off" who is the visionary or the Balloon. Then the person that keeps things grounded, the concrete—the Rock.
Understanding Relationships—you need to always look for not only how you benefit in the relationship, but how the other party can benefit from the relationship. You will not succeed if you only think about what you can get out of the relationship.
Randy completed his presentation with an important point about “know your story and be able to tell it well and stand for something.” He stated that he wants Extreme Sandbox to be the Walt Disney of Heavy Equipment. (I knew there was a tie into the Peter Pan concept and Tinkerbell was also effervescent—what synergy to this meeting!)
Also, “Now, the rest of the story." Randy did get two of the “sharks” to bite on his concept when he was on the TV show back in January 2016. Mark Cuban and Kevin O’Leary shared investing a $150,000 to the Extreme Sandbox business plan.
Michael Stanzak thanked Randy for his energy and great entrepreneurial spirit. Ann then closed the meeting with a fitting quote from George Bernard Shaw: “We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”
Heartfelt thanks to my Rotary friends for the lovely blooming begonia that has brightened my post-op days. I was also deeply touched by the many lovely cards and warm, friendly wishes. Your caring words and thoughtfulness are greatly appreciated.
I’m in a boot and on a scooter, but hope to graduate to a lovely athletic shoe soon. I hope to see you in November.
With warmest regards and gratitude,
Colleen Simpson
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed David Aase as a member in November 2015. David's sponsor to the club was Josh Sprague. Click on the link to get to know David...
This past week has been a week of Rotary Serving Humanity!
It started last Wednesday when Joe Hayes coordinated the Leadership Ethics Seminar for Edina High School students. The 65 students gathered with 30 Rotarians and other community leaders who acted as table captains to facilitate case study discussion. What a fabulous day! I know the students at my table walked away with a greater appreciation of “Doing the Right Thing” as they deal with ethical questions.
On Saturday about 30 Rotarians and family members packed meals at Feed My Starving Children. In less than 90 minutes 36 boxes were packed, which meant 7,776 meals will be shipped to Haiti this week. Thank you, Brad Beard, for scheduling and recruiting all of these volunteers. I’m sure everyone left feeling great that we were are able to help those folks in Haiti whose lives have been ravaged by Hurricane Matthew.
On Sunday, new member Tom Cook took the lead on the lead on the fall clean-up of Utley and Wooddale Parks in Edina. Another great service project!
Thank You Joe, Brad and Tom for your service!
There are more opportunities to get involved:
Fall Fireside Chats are this week and next, including the first one tonight! Invitations have been sent and this is a wonderful way to get to know your fellow Rotarians in a casual setting. We encourage everyone to register.
Camp Enterprise is Oct. 27 to 29 and volunteers are still needed. Contact Sam Thompson or Kip Peterson to sign up.
A musical evening out is set for Nov. 19, with dinner before a St. Paul Chamber Orchestra concert.
Thanksgiving baskets will be prepared for those less fortunate on Wednesday, Nov. 23. We encourage all members and their family members to participate.
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina in The Barker. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed David Aase as a member in November 2015. David's sponsor to the club was Josh Sprague. Read on to get to know more about David...
Name: David Aase
Classification: Commercial Real Estate
What was your first job? Working in my mother’s retail store in Northfield, Minnesota.
Who was your first role model and why? My mother. She was a single mom who had to overcome a lot in her life. She instilled a lot of drive and creativity in both my brother and I to become the men we are today.
Why did you want to join Rotary? After residing in Fargo, North Dakota, for 3+ years, my family and I decided to finally put down roots in Edina. I wanted to join Rotary to be a part of something bigger than myself, and to meet and connect with like-minded people.
What do you like best about being part of the Rotary Club of Edina? John Flynn’s laugh. Seriously, though humor is a big part of my life. I enjoy the fact that most Edina Rotarians do serious business while not taking themselves too seriously.
What one piece of advice do you offer other business leaders? Persistence always pays off, do not give up on something you’re passionate about and believe in.
The Rotary Club of Edina will hold a Prospective Member Day at the Thursday, Oct. 20 meeting. All Edina Rotarians are encouraged to bring a colleague or friend that is interested in learning more about Rotary and our club. Lunch is on the club for all prospective members at this week's meeting! Make sure to have your guests check in at the front desk when they arrive.
The program speaker at the meeting will be Randy Stenger, founder and CEO of Extreme Sandbox, a heavy equipment adventure company that lets clients play on construction equipment. Stenger and the Extreme Sandbox concept were featured on the ABC network's show "Shark Tank" in January 2016.
The Rotary Club of Edina will hold a Prospective Member Day at the Thursday, Oct. 20 meeting. All Edina Rotarians are encouraged to bring a colleague or friend that is interested in learning more about Rotary and our club.
The program speaker at the meeting will be Randy Stenger, founder and CEO of Extreme Sandbox, a heavy equipment adventure company that lets clients play on construction equipment. Stenger and the Extreme Sandbox concept were featured on the ABC network's show "Shark Tank" in January 2016.
President Ann Platt opened the annual joint meeting with the Edina Morningside Rotary Club with her usual charm and good humor, thanking the full house of attendees for their dedication and commitment as representatives of the Edina community to the Rotary International organization.
Edina Morningside Rotary Club President Tom Gump led us in a thoughtful invocation, the Pledge of Allegiance and the Rotary Four-Way Test. Steve Slyce introduced the guests and their hosts, including:
Andy Bach, son of Tom Bach, and Adrian Hill, both guests of Tom and signed up to attend Camp Enterprise this year
Kim Stoner, guest of Jody Kern
Kevin Fischer, introduced by Sandy Schley
Beth Dienst, guest and niece of Ann Platt
Mary Helen Bosquez, a visiting Rotarian from the Maple Grove Rotary Club, who graciously invited all to their annual Gala in November and passed around raffle tickets for purchase.
Announcements and volunteer opportunities included:
The Rev. Tom Cook spoke of the clean-up at Wooddale and Utley Parks scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 16.
EMRC President Tom Gump gave information on the upcoming Area 3 Rotary Veterans Luncheon on Nov. 11 at Bearpath Golf and Country Club in Eden Prairie.
Peter Kelly of EMRC, chair of this year's Camp Enterprise, spoke of the Camp E program for high school students and the unique opportunity volunteers have to work with these future business and community leaders. He told the story of two past camp attendees, having met at the camp, became good friends, started a successful business together in college and recently married. Proof Camp E provides young people opportunities well beyond what is taught in the schools!
Dave Hatzung and Brad Hepp provided a light-hearted and well-prepared announcement about the Thanksgiving Baskets meeting scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 23. The parody left many fellow Rotarians asking, “Where do these veteran insurance executives find the time to rehearse their scripts for these speaking engagements? It’s simply astounding!”
Mary Younggren introduced the guest speaker, Joe Puishys, President and CEO of Apogee Enterprises, Inc.
Apogee Enterprises designs, engineers, and manufactures window systems for commercial and security buildings. They also manufacture glass for the auto industry, film coatings, picture framers and others. Their commercial glass can be found on buildings around the world, including the tallest building in the western hemisphere, One World Trade Center in NY and our own US Bank Stadium.
Joe provided an inspiring speech, talking about influential people he has met throughout his business career providing him with valuable lessons he hopes to instill in his employees. He told the story of a slightly intimidating boss he had early in his career asking him for a one-on-one presentation. After preparing a full presentation including visual aids, his boss pushed the presentation aside and said "I just want to talk." Joe, to this day, does not believe in presentations and warns his employees, "You are going to hear me talk." Judging from his short time at our meeting, I’m sure his employees look forward to hearing him speak anytime.
Fall is a busy time for the Rotary Club of Edina! We have already enjoyed our biggest event of the year—the successful Edina Rotary Foundation Fundraiser & Gala Oct. 1. The members of the Rotary Class of 2015–2016 organized a volunteer activity with Special Olympics of Minnesota and invited others to join in Oct. 8. We continue the busy month this week as Joe Hayes and his team of volunteers host Edina High School students at St. Patrick's Church in Edina today, Oct. 12, for the annual Leadership Ethics Seminar "Do the Right Thing." Rotarians and other volunteers will spend the day guiding students in small-group discussions about ethical decisions, and students will hear from a speaker and take part in a case study discussion with the entire group. Our club's participation in the VEAP food backpack program is ongoing during the school year, along with other Rotary clubs. Contact Kenny Smith for more information.
Below is a listing of other upcoming service projects, social events and special meetings this fall that Rotarians are encouraged to take part in. If registration is required, the link is included below. You can also click on the event in the calendar listing to the right and get to the registration page. Don't let autumn pass you by without spending some time giving back to the community and getting to know your fellow Rotarians!
Feed My Starving Children 9 to 11 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 15
18732 Lake Drive East, Chanhassen
Rotarians, along with their friends and family members, will make our club's annual fall visit to Feed My Starving Children in Chanhassen. They will pack enough food to feed over 60 people for a year in just two hours! Chair Brad Beard has enough volunteers for the event at this time. If you are interested in chairing this event in the future, contact Community Service—Local Projects Director Kip Peterson.
Edina Rotary Adopt-a-Park Day 2 to 3 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 16
Wooddale and Utley Parks, Wooddale Avenue and 50th Street, Edina
Many hands make light work! The Rotary Club of Edina serves the community by caring for these local parks with clean-up activities in the fall and spring. We could use 6 to 10 members willing to come out for an hour to do light clean up in the parks. Benefits include fresh air, great company and the all-around good feeling you get when making our city a more beautiful place. Meet on Sunday afternoon at the southwest corner of Wooddale Avenue and 50th Street. Parking is available in city lots on either side of 50th Street. No need to register, just bring your family and help out!
For more information email Park Clean-up Chair Tom Cook or call him at 215-796-8955.
Fall Fireside Chat hosted by Dave Hatzung 7 to 9 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 19
6708 West Shore Drive, Edina
As the leaves show their glorious autumn colors and the air turns crisp, it is time for the annual Fall Fireside Chats. The first of the four fall gatherings will be at the home of Dave Hatzung Wednesday, Oct. 19. The Fireside Chats are informal social exchanges for members to enjoy and learn about Rotary and get to know one another or reconnect. All members are encouraged to attend one or more of the Fireside Chats. New members are especially encouraged to attend and get to know your fellow Rotarians in a relaxed atmosphere.
Prospective Member Day 12:15 to 1:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 20
Edina Country Club, 5100 Wooddale Ave., Edina
Rotary Club of Edina will hold the fall Prospective Member Day at next week's meeting. Prospective Member Day was moved up one week because Camp Enterprise starts Oct. 27. Rotarians are encouraged to bring a colleague or friend that is interested in learning more about our club and Rotary to the meeting. Lunch is on the club for all prospective members Oct. 20!
For more information, contact Membership Director—Recruitment Greg Yoch.
Fall Fireside Chat hosted by Paul Mooty 7 to 9 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 20
5320 Kelsey Terrace, Edina
The second Fall Fireside Chat will be at the home of Paul Mooty Thursday, Oct. 20. Click here to register for this event.
Fall Fireside Chat hosted by Gordy Lewis
7 to 9 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 25
6824 Chapel Lane, Edina
The third Fall Fireside Chat will be at the home of Gordy Lewis Tuesday, Oct. 25. Click here to register.
Camp Enterprise Thursday, Oct. 27 through Saturday, Oct. 29
YMCA Camp Ihduhapi, 3425 Ihduhapi Road, Loretta
Rotary Camp Enterprise is a joint youth project between our club and the Edina Morningside Rotary Club. This year's Camp E chair is EMRC member Peter Kelley. Edina Rotarians Sam Thompson, Kip Peterson, Jody Kern, John Flynn and many others have worked for months to organize this three-day camp for more than 100 high school students. Juniors and seniors from Rotary Districts 5950 and 5960 are sponsored by their local Rotary club and will spend three days participating in leadership activities and learning about the free enterprise system. We are still looking for volunteers for Camp E. Rotarians can be mentors, essay readers or venture capitalists. Go to www.campenterprise.org to learn more about our signature youth service project and get involved in this event that is rewarding for both the students and volunteers. Contact Sam Thompson or Kip Peterson to volunteer.
Fall Fireside Chat hosted by Josh Sprague 7 to 9 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 27
4720 70th St. W., Edina
The final Fall Fireside Chat will be at the home of Josh Sprague Thursday, Oct. 27. If you aren't scheduled to be at Camp E, click here to register.
Rotary happy hour, Vocational Development Group 5:30 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 2
The Mezz, Lunds & Byerlys, 7171 France Ave. S., Edina
Rotarians are invited to attend the Rotary happy hour, also known as the Vocational Development Group, on the first Wednesday of each month. The next gathering will be Nov. 2 at The Mezz, located upstairs in Lunds & Byerlys. The event features a short social period, with a "formal" program beginning at 6 p.m. The speaker at the Nov. 2 gathering is Jim Bizal of Bizal Built. Jim is a member of EMRC. Each person will have a brief opportunity to introduce themselves and make new connections. Each month's featured presenter will have 15 minutes to share information that is relevant to his profession followed by a short Q&A period. The meeting will conclude no later than 7 p.m. Please feel free to extend an invitation to friends, prospective members, as well as members from other clubs. For more information, contact Renee Harberts.
Edina Chamber/Rotary Prospective Member Event 5 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 9
Edina Country Club, 5100 Wooddale Ave., Edina
This event is part of quarterly get-togethers sponsored by both Edina Rotary clubs and the Chamber and will be a fun evening of connection and cross pollination. All Rotarians and Chamber members should bring a guest to the gathering. Guests will learn more about these great local organizations, and have a chance to network with membership. This is a great opportunity to meet area business leaders who actively serve our community and learn more about each organization's upcoming programs and activities. Non-members are cordially welcome to attend and see if Rotary or Chamber membership is for you.
Go to the Chamber website and register yourself and any guests. Please register by Monday, Nov. 7.
Bearpath Golf and Country Club, 18100 Bearpath Trail, Eden Prairie
Our club is one of eight southwest metro Rotary clubs in District 5950 to sponsor this special Veterans Day Luncheon to honor those who have served our country. The keynote speaker at the luncheon will be Brigadier General Sandra Best. She was named the first female general in the history of the Minnesota National Guard earlier this year. Registration is open for the event. Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks, along with a link to register yourself and any guests.
There is no Rotary Club of Edina meeting on Thursday, Nov. 10. All members are encouraged to attend the Veterans Luncheon Nov. 11.
Dinner and St. Paul Chamber Orchestra 5 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 19
Bonfire Wood Fire Cooking and St. Paul United Church of Christ, St. Paul
Register now for a musical night out in St. Paul with your fellow Rotarians! The Membership Retention Committee invites Rotarians and guests for a social hour and dinner followed by a St. Paul Chamber Orchestra concert. We will gather at Bonfire Wood Fire Cooking, 850 Grand Ave. in St. Paul at 5 p.m. for the social hour. From 6 to 7:30, we will have dinner at the restaurant, which is only two blocks from the concert venue and is in the premier dining and entertainment area of St. Paul.
Then we will walk over to St. Paul's United Church of Christ, 900 Summit Ave., for the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra's "Dvorak's Serenade for Winds" concert, which begins at 8 p.m. The SPCO's wind section is featured in this lively program, featuring works from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Cost for dinner and the concert is $52 per person. The social hour will have a cash bar and any food ordered from 5 to 6 p.m. will be at the member's or guest's own cost.
Go here to register soon, as space is limited. Contact Wade Thommen, a member of the Membership Retention Committee, with any questions.
Thanksgiving Baskets Assembly and Delivery 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 23
Edina Country Club, 5100 Wooddale Ave., Edina
Bring your family and join your fellow Rotarians for this special event before you celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. Our club will gather with members of EMRC at 11:30 a.m. for lunch, and then will begin assembling the Thanksgiving baskets for area families in need. Volunteers are needed for the basket assembly, as well as deliveries of the baskets to families in the area after the event. Stay tuned for an email in the coming weeks with more info and a link to register yourself and any guests for the event.
For more information, contact Michael Stanzak. There is no meeting on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 24.
President Ann Platt opened the meeting with a recap of the Edina Rotary Foundation Fundraiser & Gala held Oct. 1 including a wonderful video clip showing several members doing their best to impersonate the Village People dancing to their song Y.M.C.A.. The video is a clear demonstration that these Rotarians should abandon any thought of a possible dance career and stick to their day jobs.
Matt Boockmeier provided a warm invocation and lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance and Four-Way Test.
Ken Andersen introduced our guests and their hosts, including:
Hunter Pribyl-Huguelet, son and guest of Marie Pribyl
Lisa Wiens Heinsohn, guest of Tom Cook
Mark Stageberg, guest of Keith Benson
Paul Notermann, guest of Andrea Thompson Miller
Rosella DePetro, guest of Deirdre Kvale
Barb Huibregtse, guest of John Mazzara
Mike Fischer, guest of Doug Johnson
Toni Gerard gave her classification talk. Her primary reason for joining Rotary was she enjoyed how much fun our club has. She was born in Tokyo while her father served our country in the U.S. Air Force. She attended the University of Minnesota and St. Thomas. She works for RBCU, which has three locations with assets of $270 million. Toni lives in the Linden Hills area of Minneapolis with her husband and son. Toni shared that she was turning in her donation to The Rotary Foundation today, making her a Paul Harris Fellow.
Past President Jennifer Bennerotte asked membership to vote on a change to our club's bi-laws regarding past-due accounts. The change was unanimously approved, and Treasurer John Flynn will provide enforcement.
Ann Platt informed us of the many volunteer opportunities that are available to us. See this week's round-up of projects and events in The Barker, as well as the club's website, www.EdinaRotary.org, for more information.
Leann Stessman introduced our speaker, Caryn Sullivan. Caryn is an award-winning author, columnist and inspirational speaker. Her presentation was titled “Living in the Moment, Preparing for the Inevitable.” She provided encouragement in preparing our families that outlive us by discussing and organizing the many unfinished items that we will leave behind. She recommends creating a “Box of Love” that will provide details about our wishes regarding these items. Some of the items she discussed were cremation vs. burial, how our monies will be divided up amongst our children, small business succession, and creating a password file for our family and executors.
The two Rotary clubs in Edina will gather for their annual fall joint meeting this Thursday, Oct. 13. The Rotary Club of Edina will host members of the Edina Morningside Rotary Club at 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club. The program speaker will be Apogee Enterprises, Inc. CEO Joe Puishys.
Puishys was named Apogee Enterprises, Inc. chief executive officer, president and a member of the board of directors in August 2011. With more than 30 years experience in manufacturing businesses, direct industry experience and a proven track record of success in leadership positions, he has developed strategies to grow Apogee to $1 billion in sales. Before joining Apogee, Puishys served for three years as president of Honeywell's Environmental and Combustion Controls division.
The Rotary Club of Edina will hold the annual fall joint meeting with the Edina Morningside Rotary Club this Thursday, Oct. 13, at 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club. The program speaker for the meeting will be Joseph Puishys, CEO of Apogee Enterprises, Inc.
The Oct. 20 Rotary Club of Edina meeting will be a Prospective Member Day. All Rotarians are encouraged to bring a guest to the meeting that is interested in learning more about Rotary and our club.
The dust has settled and Deuces Wild has packed up and we now have memories of how we once were in a New York State of Mind. Thanks to those of you who attended our annual Edina Rotary Foundation Fundraiser & Gala Oct. 1 at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Bloomington.
We had nearly 280 attendees with fun entertainment and laughs by many. We are getting close to budget yet still need help meeting our Playbill/Donation goal. If you were not able to attend this year’s Gala and would like to contribute to our fundraiser, use the Playbill/donation form to make a donation. Even if you did attend the Gala and feel inclined to contribute again, we would appreciate it!
The dust has settled, Deuces Wild has packed up and we now have memories of how we once were in a New York State of Mind. Thanks to those of you who attended our annual Edina Rotary Foundation Fundraiser & Gala last Saturday at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Bloomington.
We had nearly 280 attendees with fun entertainment and laughs by many. We are getting close to budget yet still need help meeting our goal. If you were not able to attend this year’s Gala and would like to contribute to our fundraiser, use the Playbill/donation form to make a donation. Even if you did attend the Gala and feel inclined to contribute again, we would appreciate it!
We want to once again thank all of our volunteers who made this a very memorable evening. In the program we had listed the volunteers that helped contribute multiple hours to our Gala. Unfortunately, we omitted some very important people from the list. Marty Kupper and Mike Opitz did an incredible job with the raffle tickets. They exceeded their ticket sales by about 23 percent. Jon Barnett did a great job as auctioneer. Edina Interact students Julia, Lauren and Sofia also helped out at the Gala.
The following volunteers also should have been listed in the program as they contributed in many ways to making the fundraiser a success:
Joe Arends
Matt Boockmeier
Rick Carlson
David Clynes
Jennifer Garske
Bob & Rosie Gubrud
Mary Hatzung
Mary Hustad
Nancy Hutchison
Jody Kern
Steve & Nancy Slyce
Katie Wanninger Smith
Lisa Walker
Dave Wendt
Thanks also to our sponsors. This area exceeded our expectations.
Our Co-Chairs for next year, Don Hutchison and Lisa Walker, are already working on the plans for the 2017 Fundraiser & Gala. If you’d like to join the fun and be part of next year’s Gala committee, feel free to contact Don or Lisa.
The Edina Rotary Foundation Gala & Fundraising Committee would like to thank all of your for your support.
Join us for the Edina Rotary Happy Hour/Vocational Development Group. The next gathering will be Wednesday, Oct. 5, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Mezz, located upstairs in Lunds & Byerly's at 7171 France Ave. S. in Edina. Access The Mezz from the entrance closest to France Avenue (SW corner of the store). Wine and craft beer is available at your own cost. A limited menu may be available, but you can also purchase food in the grocery deli and bring it upstairs.
The event will feature a short social period, with a "formal" program beginning at 6 p.m. Each person will have a brief opportunity to introduce themselves and make new connections. A featured presenter will have 15 minutes to share information that is relevant to his or her profession followed by a short Q&A period. The speaker at the Oct. 5 gathering is Rena Feldman of Inview Interior Design. Jim Bizal of Bizal Built is scheduled as the Nov. 2 speaker. Both are members of the Edina Morningside Rotary Club. Rotary Happy Hour is a collaboration between the Rotary Club of Edina and EMRC.
Join us for the Edina Rotary Happy Hour/Vocational Development Group. The next gathering is this Wednesday, Oct. 5, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Mezz, located upstairs in Lunds & Byerly's at 7171 France Ave. S. in Edina. Access The Mezz from the entrance closest to France Avenue (SW corner of the store). Wine and craft beer is available at your own cost. A limited menu may be available, but you can also purchase food in the grocery deli and bring it upstairs.
The event will feature a short social period, with a "formal" program beginning at 6 p.m. Each person will have a brief opportunity to introduce themselves and make new connections. A featured presenter will have 15 minutes to share information that is relevant to his or her profession followed by a short Q&A period. The speaker at the Oct. 5 gathering is Rena Feldman of Inview Interior Design. Jim Bizal of Bizal Built is scheduled as the Nov. 2 speaker. Both are members of the Edina Morningside Rotary Club. Rotary Happy Hour is a collaboration between the Rotary Club of Edina and EMRC.
Marty Kupper and Past President Jennifer Bennerotte picked three winning raffle tickets at the Edina Rotary Foundation Fundraiser & Gala Oct. 1. The winners are:
Bob Stehlik
Ken Andersen
Paul Peterson
Thanks to everyone who purchased raffle tickets to support the fundraiser! And congratulations to the winners!
Caryn Sullivan will be the program speaker at the Thursday, Oct. 6, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. She will speak about "Living in the Moment, Preparing for the Inevitable."
Sullivan is an inspirational speaker, award-winning columnist and author of Bitter or Better: Grappling With Life on the Op-Ed Page, winner of a 2015 Midwest Book award. A recovering attorney, she weaves her intellectual curiosity and her empathetic heart into her writing and speaking. A cancer survivor, widow and mother of both a bone marrow transplant survivor and her donor, Caryn’s passion is helping others to find the “better” in and out of life’s experiences. Her columns can be read in the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
Rotarian Toni Gerard will give her classification talk at the meeting.
Youth Exchange Committee member Mike Kallas shared this update from Catherine Lee, one of our 2016–2017 outbound Youth Exchange students.
Things in Korea are great! I really love my host family, school is fun and we have lots of Rotary activities that keep us busy and introduce us to lots of Korean culture.
My host family is really amazing. I have my two parents, a little sister who is 3, a brother who is 17 and another exchange student from Taiwan (pictured at right with Catherine), who they're hosting. Not all of them know English, so it's been really helpful in being forced to learn the language because without it, I literally can't communicate with some of them. They've been so great with bringing me to festivals, events, restaurants and always trying to explain their significance. They've all, at different times, sat down with me (and the other student) to give me some Korean tutoring and teach me new words. They're very supportive and I'm so excited to keep living with them for the next months! (Catherine is shown in photo below visiting a tea plantation in Korea.)
I started school last week. It has been quite an adventure! Many of the students have never seen an American in person before, so everyone is very excited to see me in the hallways. The students couldn't be more friendly and welcoming. They know some English, but they don't have very good speaking skills so we communicate in broken sentences of a combination of Korean and English. This is fun, and has really helped my Korean language skills along.
Besides taking us to lots of events and festivals, Rotary has organized a weekly schedule for us after school. Two days a week we go to Gwangju International Center, a place with lots of resources for foreigners in Gwangju, and have a language class to improve our Korean. We also have a weekly traditional Korean drumming lesson (photo below) and a taekwondo lesson. Every other week, we also have archery. These are all fun and keep us busy and immersed in Korean culture.
I'm so excited to hear how Claudio and Justine's year at Edina High School go!
Also: I have a blog that you and everyone at Rotary can feel free to follow if you want more information beyond my periodic updates to you: https://catherineleeinkorea.wordpress.com/
Hope everything is well in Edina!
There is no Rotary Club of Edina meeting this Thursday, Sept. 29, due to the Edina Rotary Foundation Fundraiser & Gala this Saturday, Oct. 1.
The next regular Rotary meeting will be Thursday, Oct. 6. The program speaker will be award-winning author, columnist and inspirational speaker Caryn Sullivan.
Thank you for your contribution [in August and September in honor of the program speakers at meetings]. Your gifts will help us bring life and learning opportunities to Edina Public Schools students who are economically disadvantaged.
As suburban poverty increases, Edina is not immune. Edina Give and Go provides resources and financial support for students throughout their time in the Edina Public Schools. We help narrow the opportunity gap so the schools can narrow the achievement gap. The generosity of committed donors like you makes it possible to support our students in our great community. Together, we can create awareness of this growing need and GIVE all Edina students the opportunity to GO far in our community and in life.
Edina Give and Go is honored to partner with you to help Edina students in need.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Caryn Sullivan as the program speaker at the Thursday, Oct. 6 meeting. Sullivan is an award-winning author and columnist and an inspirational speaker. Her presentation is titled, "Living in the Moment, Preparing for the Inevitable." Her columns can be read in the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
Rotarian Toni Gerard will give her classification talk at the meeting.
Club President Ann Platt opened today’s meeting by welcoming us to the first day of fall.
Ann extended a warm “thank you” to Jennifer Bennerotte and her team from the City of Edina for the wonderful video production work provided to our Club for the past 10 years. Due to the increased workload at the City of Edina, they will no longer provide those video recording services. Thank you for the great P.R. that has been provided by the video services.
Ann went on to say that on Sept. 5, the Minneapolis Star Tribune recognized one of our members, Amir Gharbi, who was featured in an article about the 22 Special Deputies in the Hennepin Sheriff’s Surface Water Patrol Unit. The Unit oversees boating law enforcement and provide boating education in the West Metro lakes and rivers area. Be sure to let the Club know if you see a news article about a Club member so it can be shared with the rest of the Club.
Helping with today’s meeting were: assisting our Club Administrator, Jennifer Garske, at the front desk was Gary Pedersen. You were warmly greeted today by Mark Jessen, Susan Johnson, Doug Johnson and Jim Platt. Matt Boockmeier provided the invocation and lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance and the Four-Way Test. Hugh Hadlund wrote this week’s Barker.Greg Yoch introduced our speaker and John Solberg thanked our speaker.
Before making guest and visiting Rotarian introductions, Harry Weingartner announced to the Club that he and his wife, Betty, have moved back to Edina after 18 years in Eden Prairie and are glad to be back.
Guest were as follows:
David Clynes introduced his good friend Colton Straus and his brother, Tony Straus. The brothers have a company called One Nation Under Geese, a water fowl guidance service.
John Flynn introduced Kim Stoner, an I.T. consultant and friend of Jody Kern, visiting for the second time.
John also introduced Ava Lusty, a junior at Edina High School who signed up to attend this year's Camp Enterprise.
Josh Sprague introduced Baird Johnson, who owns four Learning Rx locations.
Mike Eckert introduced his good friend, Greg Stauffert, a retired Wells Fargo Banker.
Ian Colville introduced Raj and Garima Jain, who live in Edina. Ian met them when he was looking for a convertible to be used for this year's Youth Exchange students in the Edina Homecoming Parade.
Jari Hamlin, President of the Apple Valley Rotary Club, announced the Apple Valley Club's big fundraising event, which includes the raffling off of a Ford Focus. Raffle tickets were available on each table.
Chip Cheney of the Lake Minnetonka/Excelsior Rotary Club, who commented he was not here to sell anything.
Jeanne Zetah, President of the Eden Prairie AM Rotary Club, announced her Club's big fundraiser (a week after our Gala) Oct. 8—a wine and beer tasting event.
Ann announced that it is Harry Weingartner’s 80th Birthday tomorrow. Congratulations to you, Harry. Wishing you many more.
Ann announced that October is a very busy month, with many service project taking place, including:
Kip Peterson told us about the 2015–2016 New Member Class Service Project. This year’s New Members Class are participating in a Special Olympics bowling event on Saturday, Oct. 8. The entire Club was invited to participate. Contact Kenny Smith to volunteer.
Kip also announced, in Brad Beard’s absence, that the Club is going to be volunteering at Feed My Starving Children on Saturday, Oct. 15, from 9 to 11 a.m.
Camp Enterprise is a large project for our Club, a three-day event where 120 high school juniors and seniors attend sessions learning about all aspects of the free enterprise system. This year's Camp E is from Oct. 27 to 29. About 100 volunteers are needed for the event, and our club is still looking for volunteers, mainly as either mentors, venture capitalists and essay readers. Contact Kip Peterson or Sam Thompson for more information or to volunteer.
At Joe Hayes' request, Ann Platt announced the annual Leadership Ethics Seminar, “Do The Right Thing," held in conjunction with Edina High School Oct. 12. The need for volunteers ranges from moderators to table leaders and a featured speaker. The event is an ethics workshop, which helps high school students access their options with life’s gray areas.
Terry Stevens, a member of the Youth Exchange Committee, gave a little background on the Rotary Youth Exchange program, started in the early 1970s, providing student exchange opportunities all over the world for students, ages 15 to 18. Terry reminded us we have two inbound students in Edina this year and two outbound students. He asked Club members to sign up to entertain the students—giving them a flavor for this area of the world—by inviting them to a play, dinner, going to your lake place or other options you think of. Contact someone on the Youth Exchange Committee to plan an event with our YE students Justine or Claudio. Members of the committee include Terry, Ian Colville, Heather Hansen, Mike Kallas, Deirdre Kvale, Chrysanne Manoles and Sonja Tengdin. Edina Morningside Rotary Club's Jenn Glass is the Youth Exchange Officer for the second year.
Greg Yoch introduced today’s speaker, Dr. Jonathan Finnoff, director of the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center in downtown Minneapolis, who spoke about “Regenerative Medicine: Treatments for Osteoarthritis." He is also a team physician for the Timberwolves and Lynx basketball teams and one of the head team physicians for the U.S. Ski and Snow Board teams. He is also a member of the Board of Governors for American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Dr. Finnoff began his remarks by indicating that Mayo Clinic has been around for 150 years and is the quality benchmark for research, clinical practice and education as verified by U.S. News, which indicates Mayo Clinic as the No. 1 hospital in the country. The Sports Medicine Center has existed since 1990. With 26 years of experience, the clinic is the largest sports medicine clinic in the country.
Mayo Clinic’s first venture outside of Rochester was the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center located in downtown Minneapolis, next to the Target Center (where Block “E” used to be located), partnering with the Lynx and Timberwolves and as such, provide their medical care and sports performance services. While the goal is to set a very high bar for excellence in service, anyone can access the clinic’s care.
Prior to Dr. Finnoff joining the Mayo Clinic Minneapolis, he had worked at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester for five years, then moved to Lake Tahoe, where he lived for 3 years. He had worked with the U.S. Ski Team. A common patient was a 32-year-old professional athlete, still making a living by making skiing movies around the world. He recounted a female patient who had multiple impact injuries, various surgeries and was in constant pain. When she contacted Dr. Finnoff, they talked about regenerative treatment options that may be available.
Regenerative medicine uses multiple, different specialties and used different bio-materials including stem cells, scaffolds and different things, to try and either regenerate tissue or replace tissue or improve function of a non-functional tissue.
Most research is currently being done in bio-scaffolds, to try and create a new type of cartilage or identifying optimal cell sources, finding stem cells that can become new cells and growth factors.
In sports medicine there are two primary regenerative products: platelet rich plasma and stem cells.
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)
In this regenerative product, blood is taken, spun in a centrifuge and concentrate platelets. The concentration of platelets can vary, as well as the other things that are in it, such as white blood cells (involved in infection fighting but also inflammation) or red blood cells (that carry oxygen, but can also be somewhat caustic to joints and other tissue).
The PRP is pulled from the “buffy coat," the thin middle layer of the centrifuged blood sample.
PRP is then administered via an ultra-sound image-guided needle injection into the target tissue.
PRP is used to treat a variety of problems, including tendon problems (tennis elbow), muscle injuries and in particular osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritic environment in the knee promotes breaking down the knee and blocks the body’s ability to regenerate the knee tissues.
The objective is to inject platelets, which can be a vehicle to deliver anti-inflammatory and growth factors to inhibit the inflammatory environment and regenerate tissue. Experience has indicated that this can be done successfully.
There are two types of PRP, the difference is one has a higher concentration of white blood cells than the other.
PRP with lower white cell count is used in the treatment of osteoarthritis because of the reduced tendency for inflammation and more regeneration.
Research and trials have proven that PRP therapy works better than other traditional treatment methods including the injection of lubricating agents into the effected joint. The benefits of PRP treatment lasts about 12 months, decreasing inflammation and promoting tissue regrowth. However, over time, the body overwhelms the PRP and treatment is required again. It is deemed healthier and provide better outcomes than other traditional treatment options. It is also one of the first treatments that tried to address the root cause of the problem instead of simply treating symptoms.
Stem Cells
Stem Cells are cells that can differentiate into different types of tissue.
There are two types of stem cells: embryonic, present when you are born or in utero and can become any cell; and adult cells, which have more limited use but still can become some different cell types.
Stem cells have various effects possible. They can differentiate into the target tissue and start to make new tissue. They also secrete factors which attract other stem cells to the site where they are placed (they recruit other stem cells) and also release factors which decrease inflammation.
For orthopedic purposes stem cells are derived from either bone marrow or fat. The FDA has ruled fat stem cells are not useable for orthopedic care, thus bone marrow is the remaining, allowed choice.
Bone marrow is primarily harvested via a drill from hip region. It is then treated with a centrifugation process similar to that used with PRP, it then gets into different layers. In the same layers that have a large quantity of platelets also contain a high concentration of stem cells (the result has lots of growth factors and lots of seeds that grow the new tissue).
Injecting stem cells into a knee slows the degeneration process and makes the cartilage healthier than it was prior to the injection and also suppresses inflammation. In various trials it has also been noted that the injections did not cause any adverse events.
It has been found that stem cells harvested from like areas have better results regenerating the targeted cells (i.e. bone marrow stem cells do a better job of regenerating knee cartilage).
There have been and are various studies done combining stem cell injections with surgery, but many fewer studies with injections alone. One injection-only study, conducted by Dr. Cintino, took bone marrow stem cells, which were then cultured and then injected into the effected knee. He found the cartilage thickness was greater. Four other studies have found that the injection/bone marrow stem cell therapy significantly reduced pain and improved joint function and quality of life post stem cell injection.
Dr. Finnoff, stressed that when considering the use of stem cell therapy, that it is very, very early and promising, but because of its newness there is no long-term outcome evidence available. He went on to say that of 2,000 patients treated with bone marrow derived stem cells over a 12-year time period, none of the patients had adverse reactions (no cancers, or other significant complications).
Looking towards the future, there is more focus on clinical studies. Mayo Clinic is looking at funding to study and compare PRP vs. stem cell treatment vs. saline in the treatment of osteoarthritis (randomized, double blind, placebo control trials), the highest level of evidence for stem cells. Other studies are being conducted where adipose derived stem cells, culturing them and expanding them, giving them some factors that help them differentiate into cartilage and injecting those into knees. Lastly, Mayo Clinic is doing a study in which a viral vector has a gene placed in it, which is then injected into the patient, where it goes to the target tissue and splices the gene into the patients DNA causing the reversal of arthritis. To say the least, it is unbelievable what is being done at Mayo Clinic in terms of research.
In conclusion, regenerative medicine is a very exciting area of medicine where we are starting to harness our body’s own ability to heal itself. This is a new frontier in medicine.
John Solberg thanked Dr. Finnoff for his presentation and noted that a donation will be made in his name to Edina Give & Go.
Ann Platt encouraged everyone to register for the Gala, which is Saturday, Oct. 1. There will be no meeting next week, Sept. 29. In honor of today’s speaker, the meeting was concluded with a quote from Dr. William Mayo, “It is a great thing to make a scientific discoveries of rare value, but is even greater to be willing to share these discoveries and to encourage other workers in the same field of scientific research.”
The Rotary Club of Edina will hold a Prospective Member Day at next week's meeting, Thursday, Oct. 20. Prospective Member Day was moved from the Oct. 27 meeting to not conflict with the first day of Camp Enterprise.
All Rotarians are encouraged to bring a friend or colleague that is interested in learning more about Rotary and our club to the Oct. 20 meeting. Lunch is on the club for all prospective members that day! The program speaker for the meeting is Randy Stenger, founder of Extreme Sandbox, a heavy equipment adventure company. Stenger and Extreme Sandbox were featured on the TV show Shark Tank in January 2016.
For more information, contact Membership Director—Recruitment Greg Yoch.
We are still looking for volunteers for 2016 Camp Enterprise and need help from Rotarians! We specifically need mentors, VCs and essay readers. Contact Sam Thompson or Kip Peterson if interested in volunteering or for more information.
Camp Enterprise is set for Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 27–29, at YMCA Camp Ihduhapi. Hope to see you there!
The deadline for purchasing tickets to the 2016 Edina Rotary Foundation Fundraiser & Gala is Thursday, Sept. 22. You can go here to buy your tickets online, or mail a check and your RSVP to:
Edina Rotary Foundation
c/o Jennifer Bennerotte
4801 W. 50th St.
Edina, MN 55424
And make sure to turn in your raffle ticket money and ticket stubs to Marty Kupper or Mike Opitz at this week's meeting.
We'll see you Saturday, Oct. 1, for the Fundraiser & Gala "New York State of Mind!"
We are working with Edina Country Club to resolve the audio issues, which I agree are very distracting at meetings. ECC staff have found issues with some defective cords and are checking out their total audio system. We will also be discontinuing the taping of our speakers effective at this week's meeting.
We are 10 days away from our annual Fundraiser & Gala! This is the club's only fundraiser for the Edina Rotary Foundation and its success will determine the amount of grants that can be awarded both locally and internationally. Through your gifts, our club is committed to supporting projects in our local and global communities that will improve the lives of those less fortunate. Examples of local organizations that have benefited from our support include: Alzheimer's Association, Cornerstone, Edina Give & Go, CornerHouse, Fraser Center, VEAP weekend lunch program, and Southdale YMCA, to name only a few. Our 2016–2017 Signature Project is the furnishing of a community room at 66 West, an apartment complex for young adults who have experienced homelessness. On a global level, our club has initiated and completed several water and sanitation projects in East Africa and Central and South America. We have also collaborated with clubs and districts throughout the world in addressing issues such as polio eradication, maternal and child health and economic development.
The 2016 Fundraiser could not have happened if it were not for the leadership of Co-Chairs Sam Thompson and Leann Stessman. Thank you, Sam, Leann and the team that have planned a memorable evening. Hope to have all of you in attendance or in spirit at the "New York State of Mind" Fundraiser & Gala Oct. 1!
The Rotary Club of Edina’s Board of Directors recently approved the applicant below for membership:
Andre Brewer
Classification: Youth Services
Sponsor: Sam Cote
Written objections to the application must be submitted before 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5, to Rotary Club of Edina, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dr. Jonathan Finnoff, DO, as program speaker at the Thursday, Sept. 22, meeting. He is an internationally recognized expert in sports medicine and is the Medical Director of the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center in downtown Minneapolis. Finnoff is also the Program Director for their Sports Medicine Fellowship. He is a professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in the Mayo Clinic School of Medicine.
Finnoff is also a member of the Board of Governors for the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and for the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine. He is a team physician for the Timberwolves and Lynx basketball teams, and one of the head team physicians for the United States Ski and Snowboard Teams.
Toni Gerard will give her classification talk at the meeting.
There is no Rotary Club of Edina meeting next Thursday, Sept. 29.
Dr. Jonathan Finnoff will be program speaker at this week's meeting, Sept. 22
Dr. Jonathan Finnoff, director of the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center in downtown Minneapolis, is the program speaker for the Thursday, Sept. 22, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. He will speak about "Regenerative Medicine Treatments for Osteoarthritis." Finnoff is also team physician for the Timberwolves and Lynx basketball teams, and one of the head team physicians for the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Teams.
Toni Gerard will give her classification talk at the meeting.
There is no Rotary Club of Edina meeting next Thursday, Sept. 29. We'll see everyone at the Edina Rotary Foundation Fundraiser & Gala, "In a New York State of Mind," Saturday, Oct. 2!
President Ann Platt opened the meeting mentioning the Edina Rotary Foundation Signature Project for 2016–2017—66 West, an apartment complex in Edina for 39 youth that have experienced homelessness. She showed a clip of the facility from KSTP News.
Mike Norman handled the front desk at the meeting. Greeters were Gordy Lewis, Jim Platt and Libby Schmit. Keith Benson gave us an inspiring invocation, and led us in the Pledge of Allegiance and Four-Way Test. Bob Gubrud is writing the meeting notes for The Barker.
Nate Wenner introduced our guests at the meeting:
Andre Brewer was a guest of Sam Cote. Andre was approved by the board Sept. 15 as a new member of our club!
Lauren Altshuler was a guest of Brad Hepp.
Jim Fischer was a guest of Jody Kern.
Cynthia Johnson was a guest of Kris Maser.
Tom Gump, president of Edina Morningside Rotary Club, was a guest and participated in Silent Auction ice bowling excitement before the meeting.
Paul Nelson, also of EMRC, was a guest and encouraged members to take part in the Patrick Kennedy Memorial Golf Tournament Monday, Sept. 26.
Gleason Glover, secretary for Minneapolis #9 Rotary Club, was a guest.
Patrick Knight, president of the Plymouth Rotary Club, was a guest and asked members to come to the Plymouth Rotary Club's annual fundraiser after Plymouth on Parade Saturday, Sept. 24.
Bala Guntipalli, also of the Plymouth Rotary Club, was also a guest.
Keith Benson, chair of the Community Service—Local Funding Committee, asked for help in finding grant candidates. The due date for grant submissions is Oct. 31. Guidelines and applications available on the Rotary website, www.EdinaRotary.org.
Mike Opitz announced that sales of 2016 Fundraiser raffle tickets were halfway toward goal and asked that all members raffle ticket stubs and payments be mailed or brought to the next Rotary meeting.
Susan Johnson and Royce Pavelka,co-chairs of the 2016 Fundraiser & Gala Silent Auction Committee, provided a partial listing of Silent Auction items and said that last call for items was this week.
President Ann Platt introduced Jim Ryman, noting he joined Rotary in September 2014 and is a multiple Paul Harris Fellow. Jim introduced our speaker, Dirk DeYoung, editor of the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, whose presentation was titled "Marrying Print & Digital" and he also spoke about "what we're watching in the Twin Cities economy."
Jim gave the background on the speaker: Dirk joined the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal in 1995, has been editor since 1999, held positions of managing editor, reporter and research director. Prior to joining the Business Journal, Dirk was a reporter in Mason City, Iowa, and Fergus Falls, Minnesota. He received his BA in Journalism from the University of Minnesota, is an avid bike rider—including commuting to work on his bike, and loves music.
Dirk opened his remarks noting the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal is a member of a chain of 40 print business journals around the United States. The Journal publishes a weekly edition and two daily email editions—a morning edition with 20,000 subscribers and an afternoon edition with 22,000 subscribers. The Journal is thriving by providing a print edition for their core audience of paid subscribers and is transitioning to digital media. The Journal distinguishes itself by providing breaking news before company's issue a press release. National as well as local content can be accessed online. Their webpage makes extensive use of social media.
Dirk discussed reporters that cover specific subjects such as investigating political contributions by local business leaders, a feature article on the "Apartment Boom—Bust Ahead?", the most admired CEOs, exclusive data on Top 100 Private Minnesota Companies, information on real estate transactions, new restaurants, hotels, and a People on the Move section.
The Journal also follows activities of individuals in metro area. He mentioned Scott Neal, Edina City Manager, and asked for help from Rotarians to provide news, information for People on the Move, awards and other company events. The editors and reporters of the Journal are watching developments in Edina: apartments, medical offices, orthopedic centers, upgrade of Southdale, the Galleria; as well as activity along the western light rail and the grocery store glut with grocers building new stores. The Journal is expecting a shakeout sometime in the future. He noted following General Mills and the changes in food production in response to America's changing diet. The Journal is also following the soccer stadium in the midway district in St. Paul, and US Bank Stadium in downtown Minneapolis, with the resulting development catalyzed by the stadiums.
Another trend being monitored are changes in employment by the top 50 Minnesota employers. This includes coverage of where the jobs are, such as top five increases in jobs were in health care—the Mayo Clinic, Boston Scientific, Fairview Health Services, Hennepin County Medical Center and United Health Group. The largest decreases in employment were at Target, 3M, United States Postal Service, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, and Cargill. He noted the growing need for workers in the metro area driven by retirements of baby boomers. There is also the need to adapt to more diverse workforce creating challenges for employers.
He concluded his presentation by indicating the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal is not sure of what is coming in 2017. However, he is confident the Journal is ready to identify, monitor and report to readers to maintain their leadership in providing breaking news and exclusive data on businesses. He then opened the floor to questions before he was thanked for his presentation by Kenny Smith.
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina in The Barker. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed John Mazzara as a member in November 2015. John's sponsor to the club was Jim Roberts. Read on to get to know more about John...
Name: John Mazzara
Classification: Residential Real Estate
What was your first job? Caddy at Southview Country Club in West St Paul for a season when I was 12. When I was 13 I successfully self-taught myself how to run a trap line from a book. I did that for three years in Eden Prairie (when it was a prairie)
Who was your first role model and why? Ronald Regan. Peace through strength. He returned greatness to America and made us proud to be an American.
Why did you want to join Rotary? Camaraderie and fellowship and the desire to give back to others.
What do you like best about being part of the Rotary Club of Edina? I get a “TED talk” every week on top of a wonderful healthy lunch with really nice people. I leave better than when I arrived.
What one piece of advice do you offer other business leaders? Let’s work together and leave the world a better place. Together we can accomplish much. What do you want to be remembered for when you’re gone?
Gala planning is in full swing and we expect a great turnout. Our Silent Auction inventory is low and we need your help. Please contact Susan Johnson at susan@fidelitybankmn.com if you have a Silent Auction item to donate.
Also, remember to get your raffle tickets in! Checks and ticket stubs should be returned to Marty Kupper or Mike Opitz.
Thank you! See you Oct. 1 in a New York State of Mind!
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed John Mazzara as a member in November 2015. John's sponsor to the club was Jim Roberts. Click on the link to get to know John...
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dirk DeYoung, editor of the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, as the program speaker at the Thursday, Sept. 15, meeting. DeYoung will speak about "The Business Journal: Marrying Print & Digital." He will also discuss what the Business Journal reporters are watching in Twin Cities business activity.
DeYoung joined the Business Journal in 1995 and has been editor since 1999. He’s also been a managing editor, reporter and research director at the newspaper. Prior to that, he was a reporter for daily newspapers in Mason City, Iowa, and Fergus Falls. He has a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from the University of Minnesota.
Dirk DeYoung of the Business Journal to speak at this week's Rotary meeting, Sept. 15
Dirk DeYoung, editor of the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, will be the program speaker at the Thursday, Sept. 15, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. DeYoung will speak about "The Business Journal: Marrying Print & Digital." He will also discuss what the Business Journal reporters are watching in Twin Cities business activity.
Edina High School is back in session and Joe Hayes continues to recruit volunteers for the annual Rotary Club of Edina Leadership Ethics Seminar, “Do the Right Thing."
Do the Right Thing was a vision put into action by longtime Rotarian Jerry Potter, who passed away in 2014. In conjunction with Edina High School, we will be again presenting the seminar for students. For those new to the club, it is a fantastic day of presentations and discussions of ethical cases, great speakers, panel discussions and in-depth conversations about ethics in our time with EHS students.
The Leadership Seminar will be Wednesday, Oct. 12, from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. Patrick's Church on Valley View Road in Edina. Joe is looking for moderators, table leaders, a featured speaker, and case studies. If you are able to participate in some capacity please email or call Joe. If you know of other Rotarians or colleagues you feel would be an asset to this seminar and they would like to participate, have them contact Joe as well.
Joe can be reached by email or by phone at 952-334-9909.
Join the Rotary Club of Edina and the Edina Chamber of Commerce for the Walk to End Alzheimer's! The walk is Saturday, Sept. 17, at Target Field in Minneapolis.
Walk either a three-mile route to Loring Park, or a one-mile shortcut route through the city. Both routes begin and end at Target Field directly outside of Gate 29. Streets will be closed off for walkers between 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. After arriving at Target Field, enter at Gates 14, 29 or 34, and visit one of two Check-In Tents to pick up your event wristband and t-shirt coupon (for walkers who have raised $100+ by Walk day). Check out the Target Field Walk Day Map here! Routes are stroller and handicap accessible. Keep in mind, the walk starts immediately following the program, and walkers will not be permitted to begin walking before 9:30 a.m.
If you have any questions, contact Rick Carlson at 952-835-5425. You do not need to be a Rotarian or Chamber member to walk with the team!
Bill Sullivan will be the program speaker at the Thursday, Sept. 8, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Sullivan is the executive vice president for Basic and Applied Research in Surgery (IBARS). He will speak about "Advances in Organ Transplantation."
He has 38 years of senior management experience in medical non-profit research foundations. For the past 32 years, Sullivan has run Dr. John Najarian's medical research foundation within the Department of Surgery at the University of Minnesota, focusing on issues relating to organ transplantation.
In addition, Sullivan is chair of the Diplomats Committee for the Edina Chamber of Commerce; chair of the Board of Directors for the St. Paul Fire Department Foundation; and lead director for an international cardiovascular surgical society, the Lillehei Surgical Society.
Terry Moore will give his classification talk at the meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Bill Sullivan as the program speaker at the Thursday, Sept. 8, meeting. Sullivan is the executive vice president for Basic and Applied Research in Surgery (IBARS). He will speak about "Advances in Organ Transplantation."
Terry Moore will give his classification talk at the meeting.
We were greeted by Dennis Hykes, Melinda Inman and Jim Platt. Royce Pavelka handled the front desk duty. Scott Neal shared a special invocation with us (more on that later), and led the Pledge of Allegiance and the Four-Way Test.
We had a busy and exciting meeting with lots of guests. Lisa Walker introduced the following guests who attended the meeting:
Susan Gunderson, CEO of LifeSource, guest of the speaker
Robert Emery, surgeon, guest of the speaker
Ari Malek of Impact Web Solutions, guest of the speaker
Denise Nelson, owner of VIP Expert Nurse Consulting, guest of Josh Sprague
Turner Neal, son and guest of Scott Neal
Jeff Hall, founder of One Village Partners, guest of Dan Mott. Jeff shared an update on a Rotary and One Village Partners project.
Jill LaLonde, executive director of One Village Partners, guest of Dan Mott
Visiting Rotarian Erica Hollom, with the Edina Chamber of Commerce, member of the Edina Morningside Rotary Club
We heard from David Clynes and his recent visit to Rotary clubs in both London and Stockholm. Rotary members are welcomed and encouraged to visit other clubs throughout the world and share our fellowship. Consider visiting another club when traveling and bring a part of our club with you to share. Edina Rotary has representative material from our club to present to the host club. See President Ann Platt for these items.
Ron Kalich and Mike Sitek, chairs of the Live Auction committee for the 2016 Fundraiser & Gala, presented a sneak preview of auction items for our upcoming New York State Of Mind-themed Gala Oct. 1. Members of our club have been very generous with their donations to the Live Auction, so save your dollars for the following items:
New York, New York—a trip to New York City with roundtrip airfare for two included (donated by Tom Bach), a two-night hotel stay, and two tickets to see Late Night with Seth Meyers (donated by Paul Peterson).
Broadway in Chicago—a trip to Chicago that includes roundtrip airfare for two, two-night lodging at Union League Club of Chicago, dinner in the club's elegant dining room, and tickets to a Broadway-class presentation at one of the nearby theaters (all donated by Ron Kalich).
Grandview Villa and Golf—enjoy three days and two nights in the Golf Villa, which easily sleeps six (donated by Ed Bather), and two rounds of golf for four at the Pines or Preserve (donated by Sam Cote).
Full Week Winter or Summer Escape to Caribou Lake—A week lodging in a private home on Caribou Lake by Lutsen on the North Shore (donated by Mike Sitek). The vacation home sleeps up to 10, and guests can enjoy golf, skiing, fishing, snowmobiing and much more depending on the season.
Dinner for 10 at the Bridgewater—Tomato Vine restaurant will prepare dinner, and your hosts Dan Mott and Sam Thompson will serve the food! The meal from Tomato Vine, winner of 2016 Taste of Edina, will be multiple courses, and will include wine and cocktails for 10. The eighth-floor room where guests will dine features a beautiful view of downtown, and an outdoor patio with a fire pit for after dinner enjoyment.
Personal appearance at your home by Paul Peterson—our own Rotary member, and incredible musician, is just off the road after touring with Peter Frampton this summer. His next stop will be the lucky winner's home for a one-hour performance! Don't miss out on the chance to bid on this priceless item, and an evening you will always remember.
What a list for the Live Auction! If you have items to donate to the Silent Auction, please contact Susan Johnson at susan@fidelitybankmn.com.
Terry Moore gave his classification talk at the meeting. He is primarily a small business attorney and works at Hellmuth & Johnson. He has worked with other firms prior to Hellmuth & Johnson, and also as a solo practitioner. Terry is a 1985 graduate of St John’s University, where he studied government, rugby and beer, but not necessarily in that order. After St John’s he went on to receive his law degree from University of Minnesota in 1988. Terry lives in Edina with his wife, who is a physician at TRIA, a daughter and two sons. Interestingly, we learned that the radio station WAYL was actually started by his father. Radio station ownership became a family business. Because of his exposure to radio stations, Terry has represented a number of clients in that field. Besides radio stations, Terry worked in the ND oil patch for awhile helping with the creation and dissolution of various companies in that area. Terry is also one of the owners of 4 on 4 hockey, which is played at Braemar.
We also learned at the meeting that John Flynn has been a passionate photographer since the age 8. This explains why he is so good! Ann Platt shared that since retiring from Lifetouch, John has continued to pursue another of his lifelong passions, which is golf. In fact, he has played on major courses worldwide. John introduced our speaker at the meeting, Bill Sullivan.
Bill has run Dr. John Najarian’s medical research foundation for the past 32 years. He shared some interesting information with us about organ transplantation. Recipients of donations are determined by medical need as well as proximity to the donor. Money, prestige or race are not qualifying or disqualifying factors in determining who shall receive an organ. A doctor will determine the viability of an organ given for donation, so age of the donor is not a restriction either. The immunological system of the body has to be regulated to accept the organ and not reject it. Today, better training, 3D printing and xenotransplantation are all contributing to a higher success rate.
Scott Neal,the city manager for Edina, talked in his invocation about the topic of waiting for an organ transplant. Later in our speaker’s presentation we learned that Scott’s son, Turner Neal, actually had a heart condition that made him a candidate for a heart transplant when he was 12 years old. After a successful transplant and recovery he has lead a normal life. Turner is the athletic director of the International School in Eden Prairie. As a recipient of an organ transplant, the Neal family can speak first hand to the impactful gift of organ donation.
Susan Gunderson, CEO of LifeSource (www.life-source.org), spoke throughout the presentation as to the importance of becoming a donor and shared some interesting facts. If you haven’t become a donor yet, you may want to consider it. It is an easy process. We learned that the largest continuous organ donation chain was 67 donations. A chain is where a spouse or relative of a donated organ decides to give an organ of their own—such as a kidney. Another website to visit is http://www.DonateLifeMN.org. The organ donation need is great. Please help expand the awareness and organ availability. In fact 21 people die every day due to a lack of available organs. There is a 96 percent success rate with kidney transplants and an 87 percent success rate with heart transplants. All states are “opt in." You have to make the effort to indicate you wish to be a donor. Consider doing so while you are healthy and can then share your wishes with your family.
Our speaker leases office space in Edina from fellow Rotarian Ed Bather. During the presentation, Bill promised to explain to Ed through the presentation the actual duties of his job. But, I sat next to Ed at lunch, wherein he told me still doesn’t know! So, it looks like Bill and Ed need to get together for a follow-up discussion.
Deirdre Kvale thanked the speaker. President Ann Platt adjourned the meeting.
Ann Platt opened our meeting today and had two very important announcements. Member Renee Harberts and Edina Morningside Rotary member Dave Wendt were married on Saturday. And member David Aase and his wife welcomed a new baby boy to their family. Congratulations to all!
Les Jones and yours truly greeted members and guests as they arrived. Les made sure everyone knew the menu options for today’s meeting. Jen Garske and Ed Padilla handled the front desk. Brad Beard gave a heartfelt invocation, and led us in the Pledge of Allegiance and the Four-Way Test. We are getting better at that, but it’s probably best not to take the banner away just yet.
Lisa Walker introduced our guests and visiting Rotarians:
Patti Phillips, Chief Development Officer at the Weisman Art Museum; guest of Wooj Byun
Angie Dahl, Director of Corporate Giving at Be The Match Foundation, guest of Brad Hepp
Mike Johnson, U.S. Air Force Major, son and guest of Doug Johnson
Don Stiles, visiting Rotarian from Bloomington Noon Rotary Club
Paula Heikell, visiting Rotarian from Rio Grande Rotary Club in Las Cruces, NM
Ian Colville, one of our new members, gave his classification talk. Ian was born and raised in Rochester, MN. He graduated from Carleton College, received his MBA from Wharton, and also received degrees in International Affairs and Russian. He spent 10 years living in Russia, where he worked in banking, invested in construction in Ukraine, and then worked at Citibank in Moscow. He met his wife, Svetlana, in Russia, and they have a daughter Sasha. Ian and his family have been back in the United States for three years. He runs Carpathian Capital Management, which manages properties in the Twin Cities, Quad Cities*, St Louis area, and Detroit area. Ian’s hobbies are “whatever Sasha is interested in," and he has run several marathons. He joined Rotary in order to “work a little less, and contribute more.” Welcome, Ian!
(*I discovered there are actually five cities in the Quad Cities—can anyone name them?)
Visiting Rotarian Don Stiles spoke about a collaborative project that six area Rotary clubs and VEAP have been working on for the past couple of years. Each Thursday, Rotarian volunteers meet at VEAP to pack food bags for a student hunger project. The food bags are sent home with students in need each Friday to carry them over the weekend. Last year, we filled 6,312 bags of food and served 14 schools. Don is looking for volunteers to commit to one or two Thursday evenings this school year to pack food. Kenny Smith will be this year’s crew leader for our club.
Joe Hayes is recruiting volunteers to participate in the Leadership Ethics Seminar, "Do the Right Thing," for Edina High School students, to be held Oct. 12 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Please contact Joe if you are interested.
Brad Hepp introduced today’s speaker, Joy King. Joy is Executive Director of the Be The Match Foundation, headquartered in Minneapolis. Their annual gala is coming up on Sept. 16.
The mission of Be The Match is to save lives through cellular therapy. Seventy percent of patients do not have a family member who is a suitable donor match, so must rely on an unrelated donor. Be The Match finds the perfect donor match, contacts the donor, collects the cells, and transports the cells to a transplant center where they are given to the patient. They are able to find a match most of the time. Be The Match provides support to patients from initial diagnosis, through the transplant process and treatment until they no longer need support. The foundation provides three key services:
Financial assistance to patients and their families.
Funding of life-saving research, with a focus on graft vs. host disease.
Targeted recruitment to the registry (minorities, in particular, are needed in the registry).
Be The Match has a number of volunteer opportunities available. One key opportunity is to recruit young people, ages 18 to 24 to join the registry. Males in particular are needed, as they are typically healthy and have more cells.
There are two methods for obtaining donor cells: Aspiration from the hip while the donor is under anesthesia, and a peripheral method where blood is drawn, the needed cells are removed, and the remaining blood is returned to the donor (similar to donating plasma). Recovery for the donor is about seven days for the aspiration method, and much less for the peripheral method.
Cells should be delivered to the transplant center within 24 hours, and are administered to the patient through an IV. This must be done at a transplant center, due to treatment such as chemotherapy needed prior to the transplant, and possible complications afterward. Locally, the University of Minnesota is a transplant center. It was also suggested that Brad Beard does this himself at Fairview Southdale Hospital, but this could not be immediately confirmed.
Occasionally, a potential donor’s cells cannot be used due to the donor’s health status, or issues such as military deployment, which make it difficult or impossible to reach them when needed.
There are a large number of donors in Germany, probably due to many of us in the United States having similar heritage and genetic makeup. With more people in the registry, the likelihood of a match increases. Targeted recruitment of young males is ongoing at college campuses through the “Be the Guy” campaign. If you would like to join the registry, please go to the Be The Match website.
Steve Slyce thanked Joy for her presentation, and noted that a donation will be made in her name to Edina Give & Go.
Ann Platt ended the meeting with a quote: “You were born with the ability to change someone’s life. Don’t waste it.”
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 a fall fundraiser to support its projects and award grants. This year, more than $100,000 was raised for the Club’s service projects and local and international grants.
The Foundation’s Community Service—Local Funding Committee favors grant requests for projects that are tangible and self-perpetuating, will be completed in Edina or a bordering community, create partnerships with other organizations, provide benefits to many and can be leveraged over time.
“Our service funding vision framework is to create partnerships with other organizations and clubs and to increase our participation in sustainable projects as well as provide funding for smaller grant requests,” said Keith Benson, Director of Community Service—Local Funding for the Rotary Club of Edina. “Our club focuses on funding for tangible items, rather than funding designated for operating expenses.”
After a grant application is submitted, it is assigned to a member of the committee for review. The committee makes recommendations to the Foundation’s Board of Directors, which makes the final decision on all awards.
Recent grant recipients include Erik’s Ranch & Retreat, Fraser, CornerHouse, Majestic Hills Ranch (Heroes on Horseback), Cornerstone, Edina Give & Go, Oasis for Youth, Alzheimer’s Association of Minnesota, Open Arms of Minnesota, Hearts & Hands and the Assistance League of Minnesota.
One of the Foundation’s largest grants this year will be given to assist with construction of a Community Room at 66 West, apartments for young adults who previously experienced homelessness. The new apartment building is scheduled to open in the spring of 2017.
Grant applications are available online at www.EdinaRotary.org or by contacting Benson, kabenson99@gmail.com. Completed applications can be emailed to Benson or sent to Edina Rotary Foundation, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424.
Rotarian David Aase has announced the birth of a new potential member! David and his wife, Lauren, welcomed their second son, Calvin James Aase, on Aug. 18, 2016. Calvin weighed in at 7 lbs, 13 oz and was 21 inches long. Mother, baby and big brother are all doing well, according to the proud dad.
Rotary’s Council on Legislation met earlier this year, resulting in a new standard club constitution, Rotary clubs’ guiding document.
As a result, our club’s bylaws must be amended and our practice strengthened for following up with members who are delinquent in paying their dues. At its August meeting, the club’s Board of Directors approved the following change to the bylaws:
Probationary members are Rotarians who have broken one or more of the Rotary Club of Edina’s policies or who have fallen behind in payments by 90 days. Unless the Board of Directors decides otherwise, a member is classified as “Probationary” for six months after the Board determines that he or she broke a policy or until his or her account is paid in full.
Any Probationary Member who breaks a Rotary Club of Edina policy or fails to provide payment within 10 days of the date of notification of non-payment shall be deemed to have resigned as a member of the club. The Board may reinstate a former member to membership upon the former member’s petition and payment of all indebtedness to the club.
The majority of the club membership in attendance at a Thursday luncheon meeting must ratify the change to the bylaws.
If you have any questions about the change prior to the vote, please contact Past President Jennifer Bennerotte, 612-201-3467 or jbennerotte@EdinaRotary.org.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Joy King as program speaker at the Thursday, Sept. 1, meeting. King is the senior vice president of philanthropy and executive director for Be The match Foundation. The title of her presentation is "To be Determined."
King joined Be The Match in 2016 and is responsible for leading the foundation staff and its Board of Directors to significantly grow revenue to advance the life-saving mission of Be The Match. Revenue raised by the Foundation is used to expand access to cellular therapy, provide support for patients and their families experiencing transplant, and fund life-saving research.
Ian Colville will give his classification talk at the meeting.
Joy King, executive director of Be The Match, is this week's program speaker
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Joy King as program speaker at the Thursday, Sept. 1, meeting. King is the senior vice president of philanthropy and executive director for Be The match Foundation. The title of her presentation is "To be Determined."
Ian Colville will give his classification talk at the meeting.
Edina, Minnesota, Aug. 24 — 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 a fall fundraiser to support its projects and award grants. This year, more than $100,000 was raised for the Club’s service projects and local and international grants.
The Foundation’s Community Service – Local Funding Committee favors grant requests for projects that are tangible and self-perpetuating, will be completed in Edina or a bordering community, create partnerships with other organizations, provide benefits to many and can be leveraged over time. Click on the link to learn more.
Edina Rotary Foundation Accepting Applications for Grant Money
Edina, Minnesota, Aug. 24 — 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 a fall fundraiser to support its projects and award grants. This year, more than $100,000 was raised for the Club’s service projects and local and international grants.
The Foundation’s Community Service – Local Funding Committee favors grant requests for projects that are tangible and self-perpetuating, will be completed in Edina or a bordering community, create partnerships with other organizations, provide benefits to many and can be leveraged over time.
Another amazing meeting—a full parking lot, nine guests, two visiting Rotarians, social time to catch up with friends and make new ones, a nice meal and a quality program. Our fearless leader Ann Platt is doing a grand job keeping our train on the tracks. I think I’ll come back next week and maybe bring a friend.
We were greeted by Peter Hoffman and Deirdre Kvale. Mike Opitz helped out at the front desk. The Rev. Tom Cook gave the invocation.
Dale Walker introduced the following guests at the meeting:
Kevin Bergman and John Morrissey, guests of the speaker and Jon Barnett
Don Anderson, guest of Jon Barnett
Loreli Steuer, wife and guest of Axel Steuer
Bill Neuendorf, guest of Scott Neal
Annie Meehan, guest of Ann Platt
Kim Stoner, guest of Jody Kern
Max Rymer, guest of David Clynes
Judy Jandro, guest of Scott MacDonald
Mayor Jim Hovland, Visiting Rotarian from Edina Morningside Rotary Club
Lenny Newman, Visiting Rotarian from Minnetonka Rotary Club
Each week I am reminded and guided by the gift we receive in the wonderful stories of our presenters. Stories that encourage and help us with perspective and gratitude—they help to make our lives rich. This experience I receive each week is a big reason I frequently try to bring a guest. I gain a lot from my weekly Rotary experience and I want to share this opportunity with others.
We are very fortunate to have Dr. Hannelore Brucker in our community. Wow, what a life story, and what incredible work she has been doing throughout her career treating allergies and helping the afflicted understand their condition. Retired from her practice at Southdale Allergy and Asthma Clinic in October of last year, the loving connection she had with her patients and her pride in their successes overcoming their conditions is easy to see. Hearing her classification talk, I get the sense that although retired, Hannelore has a deep desire of service to others and that she is one very active lady. And now—in addition to our Norwegian master of illusion and presentation, Korean improvisational sax man and our world famous, soon to be back from tour, base guitarist—we now have a harmonica and accordion virtuoso in our midst.
We were fortunate to have Dick Schulze present to our meeting as our main speaker. Thanks, Jon Barnett, for setting this up—your thorough introduction rivaled the eloquence and harmonic prose of our dear departed club fixture and Edina institution from years past, John Diracles.
Mr. Schulze very honestly illustrated some of the significant events and lessons learned in his 50 years in consumer electronics retail. Starting with Sound of Music in 1966 to the Best Buy corporation of today, it is easy to see how his infectious enthusiasm rallied the troops to grow a world-class company.
He shared some management styles that he’s found really matter. Reading these now they seem almost obvious, but we all know they are often overlooked.
Empower employees. Employees appreciate the opportunity to make a contribution. Be certain they know their input is valued.
Be willing to try new things. Failure is ok—learn from mistakes.
Recognize and reward extraordinary contribution.
Go to where the customer is and, in the store or on the website, it is all about improving the customer experience.
Be a leader, not just a fast follower.
Mike Sitek thanked Mr. Schulze for the presentation.
I had the opportunity to speak briefly with Mr. Shulze after the meeting. Turns out I tutored his oldest grandchildren in math and science several years back. His face lighting up and the detailed stories of their current accomplishments showed me a gentleman that although a very successful entrepreneur, he has what is most important and very high on his list.
I looking forward to next week’s meeting, how about you?
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Richard M. "Dick" Schulze as the program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 25, meeting. He is the founder and chairman emeritus of Best Buy. Best Buy is celebrating its 50th anniversary this week.
A St. Paul native, Schulze founded his own company, The Sound of Music, in 1966. The business expanded to six stores in Minnesota by 1983, when Schulze renamed it Best Buy, adopted a warehouse format, and expanded into many more kinds of consumer products. The company soon went public and began a period of remarkable growth when Schulze revolutionized the industry by introducing the superstore to electronics. He served as Best Buy’s Chief Executive Officer from 1983 to 2002 and then as Chairman until 2012. He rejoined the company in 2013 as Founder and Chairman Emeritus.
Schulze has long supported nonprofit organizations in the Twin Cities and Minnesota, as well as made significant donations to the University of St. Thomas and other institutions. Schulze started The Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation in 2004. In June 2013, Schulze announced plans to gradually expand the Foundation from $100 million to about $1 billion. Schulze chairs the Foundation’s board of trustees. In years to come, Schulze hopes to be remembered by a personal legacy involving three major contributions through business, entrepreneurship education and philanthropy.
Hannelore Brucker will give her classification talk at the meeting.
Founder of Best Buy, Richard Schulze, to speak at this week's Rotary meeting
Richard M. Schulze, founder of Best Buy, will be the program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 25, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Best Buy is celebrating its 50th anniversary this week. A St. Paul native, Schulze serves as Chairman of the Board and Founder Emeritus of Best Buy, along with roles as founder, chairman and/or president at three other companies. Much of his focus is on his philanthropy work, and he established the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation in 2004 to extend the reach of his charitable work. He is also the chairman of the board for the foundation.
Hannelore Brucker will give her classification talk at the meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina’s Board of Directors recently approved the applicant below for membership:
Jen Tregarthen
Classification: Insurance Brokerage
Sponsor: Greg Yoch
Written objections to the application must be submitted before 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 7, to Rotary Club of Edina, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424.
One of the last summer Rotary lunches, Thursday’s was a warm and humid one with temperatures in the high 20s—28C to be exact (82F).
Dan Hennen, Brandon Azbill, Royce Pavelka and Kevin Strandberg greeted at the door and Royce enthusiastically handed out Edina Rotary Foundation Fundraiser & Gala Silent Auction donation forms to all people as they entered.
Past President Jeff Ohe helped out at the front desk, and Michael Opitz and Marty Kupper handed out raffle tickets for the Fundraiser & Gala to each member as we walked in. (Talk to Mike or Marty if you didn't yet receive your tickets to sell!)
Our esteemed President Ann Platt opened the meeting at 12:36 p.m. and the Invocation was read by Jon Barnett, who shared a powerful reading with our group about the value of a smile, and also conducted the Pledge of Allegiance, along with the Rotary Four-Way Test.
Steven Veker introduced our guests. Mike Kallas, a member of the Youth Exchange Committee, introduced the new Youth Exchange students to Edina High School—Claudio Huerta from Chile and Justine Onana from Belgium. They are sponsored by both our club and the Edina Morningside Rotary Club. Mike encouraged members to meet the students, and invite them to events, gatherings and even just over for dinner.
David Clynes introduced Mike Lehman as his guest at the meeting. Brandon Azbill introduced his father and wife, who were there to see him be officially inducted into the club at the meeting. Brad Beard, Sutton McGraw, Bill Milota and Mary Younggren also had guests at the meeting.
Ann Platt reminded us of the Oct. 1 Fundraiser & Gala, with the theme "New York State of Mind." Ann even had “two celebrities flown in” to pitch the Gala to the crowd—Billy Joel and Elton John in full costume flew in and gave us their best plug of why we all need to be there Oct. 1.
Marty Kupper and Michael Opitz also gave a brief shout out from the podium about the importance of selling Fundraiser raffle tickets and a Q&A about raffle ticket fun facts.
Ann announced the induction of two new members and asked one of our past presidents, Steve Slyce, to come up and formally induct the new members—Brandon Azbill, sponsored by Wooj Byun, and Jim Platt, sponsored by Ann Platt.
Ann then welcomed Brad Beard to the podium, who introduced our speaker—Dr. Michael Howell. Dr. Howell gave us the highly interesting presentation “Sleep & Performance,” where he taught us how sleep helps us become healthier and more successful in all areas of our life.
Colleen Simpson thanked our speaker and told Dr. Howell about the donation in his honor to Edina Give & Go.
Ann Platt also thanked the speaker, warmly welcomed the new members and reminded the group of the raffle tickets as she closed the meeting at 1:34 p.m.
Next week’s speaker is Richard Schulze, founder of Best Buy, so we should surely expect a full house on Aug. 25.
August is Membership Month for Rotary International and Edina Rotary Club, and we want to ensure that our club members are engaged and committed to the club. This all starts with attracting the right members! Yes, many of us joined with the thought of networking our businesses but soon discovered that there was more satisfaction in giving vs. receiving.
Many of you have stated that you have stayed for the friendship and fellowship. That is great to hear! It takes all of us working together to make our club vibrant and attractive to new people so they can feel the camaraderie we have. Whether you are a Rotary “veteran” or a new member, ask yourself these questions:
Have you sat with someone new at a meeting lately?
Have you chatted with someone different before the meeting starts?
Have you met someone for coffee to get to know them better?
Have you volunteered for a committee? There are many opportunities to get involved with the Fundraiser just around the corner and may not be the time commitment you think.
Have you attended a social event? Fireside chats will be coming up this fall and they are a great way to get to know your fellow members. The Gala on Oct. 1st will be a fun event and you can get dressed up and bring your significant other.
At last week’s meeting District 5950 Governor Mark Hegstrom talked about vibrancy and staying relevant. We are the largest club in the district, but we cannot rest on our laurels. We must continue to ensure that all of our members are engaged and feel welcome!
I have re-instituted a gold sticker on new members' name badges so that they can be identified. Please make sure that they feel a part of our club. In this way we can continue the reputation that Bob Hildreth instituted during his presidency, that “We are the #1 club in the universe."
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dr. Michael Howell as the program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 18, meeting. Dr. Howell is the division head of Sleep Medicine, Department of Neurology, at the University of Minnesota, as well as the medical director at the Fairview Sleep Center in Edina. He will speak about "Performance Enhancing Sleep."
New members Brandon Azbill and Jim Platt will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dr. Michael Howell as the program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 18, meeting. He will speak about "Performance Enhancing Sleep."
Dr. Howell is the division head of Sleep Medicine, Department of Neurology, at the University of Minnesota, as well as the medical director at the Fairview Sleep Center in Edina. He is also the program director at the Clinical Sleep Medicine Fellowship and co-founder and CEO of the Sleep and Performance Institute.
New member Brandon Azbill will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
Dr. Michael Howell to speak on performance enhancing sleep at this week's Rotary meeting
Another glorious midsummer day—blue skies, bird calls, puffy white clouds, and a blessed silence from both major parties! How sweet it is!!
On arrival at our Aug. 11 meeting, your writer was greeted by none other than Marty Kupper himself, in the unaccustomed role of Rotary photographer in place of John Flynn. Giving thanks for one meal at least when chewing with an open mouth need not become the subject of Flynn’s eagle eye and the resulting photo in The Barker. Phew!
Greeters at the meeting were Dave Hatzung, Kevin Strandberg and Andrea Thompson Miller. Bob Stehlik helped out at the front desk.
President Ann Platt opened the meeting at 12:35 p.m. with a crisp bang of the gong, and Charlie Barer shared an inspiring invocation from the Costco Collection. Sam Thompson introduced guests Brett McReavy (guest of his father, Bill McReavy) and Dario Anselmo (guest of Heather Hansen). When visiting Rotarian Zdenek Kratky was introduced, he invited everyone to attend the Patrick Kennedy Memorial Golf Tournament at the Mendota Country Club on Sept. 26, hosted by his Edina Morningside Rotary Club.
Former 5950 District Governor Tim Murphy reported on the success of Rotary’s International Youth Exchange Program, then introduced Eleanor Hastings, who shared photos and heartfelt reminiscences of her academic year in the Czech Republic.
Brad Hepp then formally inducted a new member, Hannelore Brucker, whose skills on the accordion and harmonica will surely make her one of the most highly coveted guests at our next round of Fireside Chats. Hannelore's sponsor to the club is Josh Sprague.
The Oct. 1 date of our New York-themed Gala is fast approaching, and Royce Pavelka urged the members to donate items to the Silent Auction, with forms available this week. C’mon folks, whose idyllic lake house would be just right for a prize-winning family of Rotarians?
Returning to the podium, our PresidentAnn Platt called former President Steve Slyce up for the speaker introduction.Steve then introduced Mark Hegstrom, a former president of the Edina Morningside Club and our new District 5950 Governor.
The theme of District Governor Hegstrom’s presentation was “How the Greatest Club in the Universe Can Get Even Better." And how might that be, you may well ask? By becoming what Mark calls “a vibrant club” that engages its members, conducts meaningful projects, is flexible, tries new and fun ideas, and has a unique identity. Rotary thrives as an organization as it engages the younger generation, the “under 40” group. What got us here won’t keep us here, and Rotary must either evolve or perish.
Mark urged the assembly to think deeply about new forms of engagement and new types of service. The “blink” of an idea is all it takes to attract new members, so consider what images of the Rotary experience does a prospective member see at first “blink?" Mark closed with this insight—images are symbols of the substance that defines Rotary.
Libby Schmit thanked the speaker and presented our club's donation to Edina Give & Go in his name.
A call to the membership of the No. 1 Club in the Universe—let’s ponder deeply and creatively the symbols that will define Rotary to the next generation.
Our President returned to the podium to thank Eleanor for the presentation of her experiences in the Czech Republic, to welcome Hannelore as a new member, to thank District Governor Hegstrom, and to announce next week’s speaker as an expert on sleep disorders. Too many sheep to count?
Ann closed the meeting with a sports quote from the Pope—such a cool Pope—and tapped the bell gently to ring us out till next week’s meeting.
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina in The Barker. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Toni Gerard as a member in March 2016. Toni's sponsor to the club was Josh Sprague. Read on to get to know more about Toni...
Name: Toni Gerard
Classification: Retail Banking
What was your first job? Burger place in Omaha.
Who was your first role model and why? When I was only 9, I was impressed by Peg, the base commander’s wife, when my family was stationed in Germany. She was poised, friendly, smart, and had a cool charm bracelet. I have been very lucky throughout my life to have had many people help me along my way. Each of those people are role models for me in particular ways—offering examples and advice ranging from education and work to joie de vivre.
Why did you want to join Rotary? I joined Rotary to build lasting business and personal relationships within the community in which I work and that is close to my home.
What do you like best about being part of the Rotary Club of Edina? I was first struck by how friendly and welcoming the professional members of the Edina Rotary were to me. It is clear to me that members take business seriously but not themselves. They are supportive and effective and seem to love to laugh. The luncheon speakers are energizing and informative. I know I’ll find my place to contribute.
What one piece of advice do you offer other business leaders? Be curious always, pay attention, engage, and laugh.
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Toni Gerard as a member in March 2016. Toni's sponsor to the club was Josh Sprague. Click on the link to get to know Toni...
Rotary District 5950 Governor Mark Hegstrom will be the program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 11, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. He is the 2016–2017 District Governor for District 5950, which includes Minneapolis and suburbs, central and western Minnesota. Hegstrom is a member of the Edina Morningside Rotary Club.
Hegstrom grew up in Edina and graduated from Edina High School in 1983. He went on to study Economics at the University of Minnesota, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree. He joined the Rotary Club of Edina Morningside in 2002. Hegstrom served as President of his club in 2008–2009, and has since worked in District 5950 on numerous committees for the District Foundation, the District Conference and Membership. As a champion of The Rotary Foundation, Hegstrom and his wife are Major Donors and Paul Harris Society members.
New member Hannelore Brucker will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
Rotary District 5950 Governor Mark Hegstrom is this week's program speaker
Rotary District 5950 Governor Mark Hegstrom will be the program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 11, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. He is the 2016–2017 District Governor for District 5950, which includes Minneapolis and suburbs, central and western Minnesota. Hegstrom is a member of the Edina Morningside Rotary Club.
New member Hannelore Brucker will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
The Aug. 4 Rotary meeting was held under a tent on a beautiful afternoon at Express Metals, 8094 Excelsior Blvd., Hopkins, not so far from Bunnies if any of you need to get your bearings.
The meeting was called to order by President Ann Platt, to a thunderous applause. Ann recognized those helping at the meeting and Buzz Bainbridge gave the invocation. What he also mentioned was that on this day in the year 1693, Dom Perignon invented champagne and was known to have said, “Come quickly, I am drinking the stars!”
Our host and speaker for the event was our own Libby Schmit, general manager of Express Metals.
Express Metal’s motto is “Cash in a flash for your metal trash." The company lives by that motto and continually strives to improve their processes so that commercial and residential customers alike can drive in, unload metal products and get paid in a very short amount of time.
Now you are wondering, what exactly can I bring to Express Metals and get paid for bringing it? Ready? Lawn mowers, snow blowers, engines, BBQ grills, washers, dryers, electric motors plumbing pipe, car batteries, extension cords, Christmas lights, and the list goes on! Very few things are not accepted—check the website.
The presentation was very interesting and well-presented, including a complete tour of the facility.
The best part; keeping scrap metal out of the landfill and getting paid for doing it!
Notes:
The Fundraiser is Oct. 1.
See Sam Thompson to volunteer.
See Sandy Schley and Libby Schmit to be a table host, there are a few spots left.
Walk to End Alzheimer's is Sept. 17 at Target Field. See Rick Carlson to sign up on the Rotary Club of Edina team.
This year’s Edina Rotary Foundation Fundraiser & Gala is almost here! The annual fundraiser is set for Saturday, Oct. 1, at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Bloomington!
We plan to put you in a “New York State of Mind” with creative food and entertainment. From the minute you enter the hotel and the New York City subway to the lively Central Park silent auction to the bright New York City lights for dinner and the dueling pianos of Deuces Wild in the ballroom we’re sure you’ll enjoy every New York minute! Registration ended Sept. 22.
For more information about the event go here. If you have questions, contact Co-Chairs Sam Thompson or Leann Stessman.
The Rotary afternoon at the ballpark is fast approaching! The deadline for registering for the St. Paul Saints game and picnic is this Friday, Aug. 5.
The Membership—Retention Committee has reserved 40 seats at CHS Field near third-base Sunday afternoon, Aug. 14, for Rotarians and guests. And we also have made arrangements for a picnic on-site catered by the ballpark. The picnic starts at 3:30 p.m. and the game begins at 5:05 p.m. It should be a great afternoon and evening for one and all! Bring your significant other, your kids or your grandkids!
The cost is $30 for adults for the combined picnic and game. People 15 and under or 65 and older will pay $29 to attend. Please register yourself and any guests online.
If you have questions on the event or payment, please contact Event Chair Don Hutchison at 952-428-7850 or dhutchison@HutchFinancial.com.
The July 28, 2016 meeting was assisted by the following Rotarians:
Front Desk—Scott Neal and Barbara Born; Front Desk Administration—Deirdre Kvale; Greeters—Bob Harvey, Brandon Azbill and Ian Colville; Invocation/Pledge of Allegiance/Four-Way Test—Jody Kern; Guest Introductions—Ann Platt; The Barker writer—Tim Fargo; Speaker Introduction—Joe Arends; Thank the Speaker—Sandra Schley.
The meeting was designated as Prospective Member Day and thus there were many guests. Guests included: Heidi Stinson (Sam Thompson), Jamie Nelson (Jennifer Bennerotte), Frank Foti (Mike Sitek), Jim Hazlett (Kevin Strandberg), Chuck Cooley and J. Raab (Jim Perkins), Bob Sandilla (Tom Ries), Lisa Byrne (Jody Kern), Roger Pust (Keith Benson), Betsy Bisanz (Kaylin Eidsness), Sasha Colville (Ian Colville), Ryan Flynn (San Asato), Mike Johnson (Doug Johnson), David Holtz (Barbara Born), Lindsay Pritzl (Tim Fargo), Kristopher Williamson (Andrea Thompson Miller). The following visiting Rotarians were in attendance: Kyle Schrieffer (South Metro Minneapolis Evenings Rotary Club), Paul Mork (Golden Valley) and Mark Williams (Lake Minnetonka/Excelsior).
The meeting began with a ceremony to honor those Rotarians with perfect attendance for the 2015–2016 Rotary year. There were too many to name in limited space, but suffice it to say that there were 59 Rotarians who satisfied the requirements to have “perfect attendance” per Rotary International’s standards. Jon Barnett topped the list with either 25 or 26 years of perfect attendance.
Shelly Loberg gave her classification talk. Shelly is the director of Explore Edina, which is affiliated with the Visitors Bureau for the City of Edina. Shelly was born in Owatonna, attended the University of Minnesota–Duluth, where she majored in Communication and French. She studied abroad in France and now has two sons, Dane and Evan, who are the lights of her life. She loves fishing, yoga, outdoor activities, food and wine. She concluded by saying that she loves serving on the International Committee for Rotary.
Our speaker was Patrick Hunt, the founder and CEO of Hunt Adkins, a full-service brand communications and digitally focused advertising agency. Mr. Hunt was with us to share his experience as the current chairman of the 2016 Ryder Cup Golf tournament, which will be held at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska Sept. 27 through Oct. 2. Mr. Hunt is a 27-year member of Hazeltine, a course which was established with the express purpose of playing host to national and international golf events.
The Ryder Cup is unique among professional golf tournaments in several important respects. It pits the best U.S. players against the best of Europe. It is the only professional tournament that is actually a team event and the players are not playing for a purse. Rather, the players play for team, for captain and country. The atmosphere is like no other in golf: the patrons are given a license to cheer while watching the event. After the practice rounds there is a three-day format with different events on each day. Each of the first two days includes one four-match session of four-ball and one four-match session of foursomes. The final day is reserved for 12 singles matches. The pairings of all matches are assigned randomly.
Mr. Hunt pointed out that his committee works alongside the PGA of America to put on the tournament and there is local staffing of around 4,000 volunteers. More than 250,000 spectators are expected to attend. It is anticipated that the event will be viewed by over 500 million people in over 160 countries. Per Mr. Hunt, this will be the largest Ryder Cup in history and will bring very significant attention to the Twin Cities, to Chaska and to Hazeltine. The tournament is expected to infuse over $135 million into the local economy. As a tip for those attending, Mr. Hunt suggests that on the first day you should run—don’t walk—to the first tee and then go to the back side where you can watch the action.
This year's fundraising for the Edina Rotary Foundation began with a live auction organized by the 2016 Fundraiser & Gala committee. Our own Jon Barnett served as auctioneer as bids came in for two tickets to the Ryder Cup. Bill McReavy was the lucky winner with a $2,500 bid. It was a very interesting meeting and made me want to go to the Ryder Cup. I will be watching it on television this time; the lottery was unkind to me and the scalpers will be worse.
What's more fun and entertaining than a Sunday afternoon watching our own St. Paul Saints baseball team?! And a picnic at the ballpark to boot! There is still time to reserve your spots to watch the St. Paul Saints at CHS Field near third-base Sunday afternoon, Aug. 14. And we also have made arrangements for a picnic on-site catered by the ballpark. The picnic starts at 3:30 p.m. and the game begins at 5:05 p.m.
There are a limited number of seats available for this event. Please register yourself and any guests online by Friday, Aug. 5.
The Rotary Club of Edina will hold a Vocational Day meeting at noon, Thursday, Aug. 4, at Express Metals, 8094 Excelsior Blvd., Hopkins.Lunch and beverages will be provided.
Express Metals recycling is a family-owned and operated business which opened in January 2010. Todd Bollig, an Eden Prairie Rotarian, is the owner. The meeting will include a presentation about the business and tours of the facility.
Rotarians are encouraged to carpool to the meeting with other members of the club if possible. Registration was required to attend the meeting, due to space limitations. Contact Club Service Director Deirdre Kvale if you have questions.
The Rotary Club of Edina will hold a Vocational Day meeting this Thursday, Aug. 4, at noon at Express Metals, 8094 Excelsior Blvd., Hopkins. Lunch and beverages will be provided.
Express Metals recycling is a family-owned and operated business which opened in January 2010. Todd Bollig, an Eden Prairie Rotarian, is the owner. The meeting will include a presentation about the business and tours of the facility.
Registration was required to attend the Vocational Day meeting. Due to limited space, attendance is limited to Rotary Club of Edina members. Parking is limited at the business, so please carpool with fellow Rotarians if you can.
This counts as the meeting for the week, so there is no additional cost for regular members. Senior Active and Honorary members will be charged $20 at the door as usual.
Contact Club Service Director Deirdre Kvale for questions or more information about the meeting.
This week's meeting, Aug. 4, is a Vocational Day at Express Metals in Hopkins
Join us for the Edina Rotary Happy Hour/Vocational Development Group. The next gathering will be Wednesday, Aug. 3, from 5:30 to 7 p.m.at The Mezz, located upstairs in Lunds & Byerly's at 7171 France Ave. S. in Edina. Access The Mezz from the entrance closest to France Avenue (SW corner of the store). Wine and craft beer is available at your own cost. A limited menu may be available, but you can also purchase food in the grocery deli and bring it upstairs.
The event will feature a short social period, with a "formal" program beginning at 6 p.m. Each person will have a brief opportunity to introduce themselves and make new connections. A featured presenter will have 15 minutes to share information that is relevant to his or her profession followed by a short Q&A period. The speaker at the Aug. 3 gathering will be Edina Morningside Rotary Club member Dr. Casey Moore. Rotary Happy Hour is a collaboration between the Rotary Club of Edina and EMRC. Renee Harberts has recently taken over the planning of the speakers from Kip Peterson.
The Rotary Club of Edina’s Board of Directors recently approved the applicant below for membership:
Jim Platt
Classification: Pet Lodging
Sponsor: Ann Platt
Jim will share his membership with Ann Platt. Written objections to the application must be submitted before 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 10, to Rotary Club of Edina, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424.
The Thursday, July 28, meeting of the Rotary Club of Edina will be a Prospective Member Day! All Rotarians are encouraged to bring a friend or colleague that is interested in learning more about Rotary and joining our club. All prospective members get a free lunch on July 28!
Speaking at the meeting July 28 is Patrick Hunt, General Chair of the 2016 Ryder Cup. Hunt is a member volunteer for Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska. Hazeltine will host the Ryder Cup Sept. 27 to Oct. 2, 2016. Hunt's primary role is representing Hazeltine in its partnership with the PGA of America as they recruit and manage over 4,000 volunteers from Minnesota in welcoming 250,000 golf fans and a worldwide television audience to the grounds of Hazeltine and the Twin Cities community during Ryder Cup week.
Hunt has been a member of Hazeltine since 1994. In that time, he has served in a number of roles including Board member, Executive Committee member and Chair of the Nominating, House and Clubhouse Design Committees. In addition, Hunt served on the Executive Committee of the 2002 and 2009 PGA Championships.
In his professional life, Hunt is the founder, President and CEO of Hunt Adkins, an award-winning brand strategy and advertising firm with clients including Mayo Clinic, Mayo Clinic Health System, iWireless, Federal Premium and Canterbury Park.
The Rotary Club of Edina will honor members that had Perfect Attendance in the 2015–2016 Rotary year at the July 28 meeting. A record number of Rotarians attended all or most meetings of the club, and did make ups throughout the year at committee meetings, Rotary happy hour or other Rotary activities to achieve the Perfect Attendance Award. Congratulations to everyone for their dedication to Rotary!
Rotarian Shelly Loberg will give her classification talk at the meeting.
Chair of Ryder Cup to speak at this week's Prospective Member meeting
The Thursday, July 28, meeting of the Rotary Club of Edina will be a Prospective Member Day! All Rotarians are encouraged to bring a friend or colleague that is interested in learning more about Rotary and joining our club. All prospective members get a free lunch on July 28!
Speaking at the meeting July 28 is Patrick Hunt, General Chair of the 2016 Ryder Cup. Hunt is a member volunteer for Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska. Hazeltine will host the Ryder Cup Sept. 27 to Oct. 2, 2016.
Perfect Attendance Awards for the 2015–2016 Rotary year will be given out at the meeting. Rotarian Shelly Loberg will give her classification talk at the meeting.
Our meeting began with President Ann Platt asking the audience if anyone knows what was published in the latest Rotary magazine. The answer (promptly provided by Barbara Born) was an advertisement for Wooj Byun’s book My Rotary Story. Congratulations Wooj!
Greeters at today’s meeting were Hal Harris, Kevin Strandberg and Andrea Thompson Miller. Tim Murphy helped Deirdre Kvale at the front desk. Gary Aulik gave an invocation, Pledge of Allegiance and Four-Way Test.
Wade Thommen introduced the following members and their guests:
Dan Hennen and his guest, Sue Anderson
Brad Beard and his guests, Joe Steany and John Fujitake
Greg Yoch and his guest, Jim Platt
Patti Ellingson-Solheim and her guest, Luke Randall
Sue Spalding and her guest, Rebecca Justin
Gary Aulik and his guest, Sarah Michielson
We were also joined by visiting Rotarian Jen Tregarthen of the Sooner Rotary Club.
Greg Yoch announced that next week, July 28, is Prospective Member Day. Rotarians are encouraged to bring prospective members as guests. All prospective members are free that day. Greg also announced that next week there will be a raffle for Ryder Cup tickets, another reason to bring guests.
Joe Hayes made an announcement concerning the upcoming Leadership Ethics Seminar, or "Do The Right Thing." The event is scheduled for Oct. 12 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Joe is seeking volunteers to join the planning committee and to participate in the event.
Joe Hayes, as a member of the RARE Committee, announced that Rob Laughlin’s mother has passed away. Rob is a past president of the Edina Morningside Club.
Don Hutchison announced that the club is planning a fun-filled day at the new St. Paul Saints Stadium (CHS Field). The event will be Sunday, Aug. 14, for a game between the Saints and the visiting Sioux Falls Canaries and a picnic before the game. Members are encouraged to bring guests. Contact Don about tickets.
Bradley Hepp introduced our speaker—Rhoda Olson. Ms. Olson is the Chief Executive Officer of Great Clips. Ms. Olson described the struggles and triumphs in her life and in the business of Great Clips. Great Clips is coming up on 4,000 salons across the United States and has experienced 48 quarters of continuous steady growth!
She introduced her husband, three sons, daughters-in-law and grandchildren to our membership. She spoke about the nature of Great Clips as a family-owned business and described added elements of emotion, strength and stress coming from the family-owned business.
Ms. Olson spoke about the power of personal vision and identified her personal vision as including:
Being a healthy role model.
Being an impactful and courageous leader.
Providing every “stakeholder” an opportunity for financial success.
Showing gratitude and humility.
Learning and growing.
Ms. Olson also shared with us the action-orientated mission statements that have helped Great Clips succeed: “We are kind, we keep it simple, we focus on execution, we exceed expectations and we have fun.”
Following the presentation and questions from the audience, Jim Ryman thanked our speaker.
Our meeting concluded with the following quote from Eleanor Roosevelt: “A woman is like a tea bag; you never know how strong she is until she is in hot water.”
Don't miss the chance to attend several upcoming events for Rotarians at the end of July and early August! Registration is open now!
First up is Prospective Member Day at the Thursday, July 28,Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Members are encouraged to bring a friend or colleague that is interested in learning more about our club and Rotary to the meeting. All prospective members eat free on July 28! For more information, contact Membership—Recruitment Director Greg Yoch. We will also honor members that had Perfect Attendance in the 2015–2016 Rotary year at the meeting.
Aug. 3 is the return of the Rotary happy hour! This vocational development group meets the first Wednesday of each month, but took a hiatus in July. The August gathering will feature EMRC member Dr. Casey Moore. The event is from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Mezz in Lunds & Byerly's on France Avenue in Edina. There will be a short presentation by the featured Rotarian, plus time for introductions, networking and questions. The happy hour is a collaboration between our club and Edina Morningside Rotary Club. Contact Renee Harberts for more information.
Thursday, Aug. 4, is the first Vocational Day of the new Rotary year. We will meet at Express Metals in Hopkins Aug. 4 at noon for the chance to learn more about this metal recycling business. Express Metals is owned by Todd Bollig, an Eden Prairie Rotarian, and our own Libby Schmit is the general manager at the company. Lunch and beverages will be served, and Senior Active and Honorary members pay at the door like a regular meeting. Please register by Friday, July 29, so we can plan accordingly. Parking is limited, so carpools are encouraged. For questions on the meeting, contact Club Service Director Deirdre Kvale.
Finally, there is still time to register for the St. Paul Saints baseball game and Rotary picnic at CHS field in Lowertown, St. Paul, Sunday, Aug. 14. Cost is $30, and that gets you into the game and pre-game picnic to boot! Seniors and kids get $1 off the price. Picnic time is 3:30 p.m with the game starting at 5:05 p.m. It should be a great afternoon and evening for one and all! Bring your significant other, your kids or your grandkids! Please register yourself and any guests online by Friday, Aug. 5, so that we can plan for the event. If you have questions, please contact Event Chair Don Hutchison.
On Tuesday evening, July 12, a group of Rotarians attended the groundbreaking ceremonies for 66 West Apartments, which is located at the old TCF Bank building on 66th Street in Edina, between Xerxes and France. A year from now that facility will open to accommodate 39 young adults who have experienced homelessness. This project is spearheaded by the Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative, with support from many churches and organizations in Edina and the surrounding suburbs.
Our Community Service—Local Funding Committee, headed by Keith Benson (shown here second from left at the groundbreaking with fellow Rotarians Jim Ryman, San Asato and Tom Cook), has been working hard on obtaining a $9,000 matching grant from District 5950 for the $30,000 Community Room at 66 West. This is our Signature Project for the 2016–2017 Rotary year. We found out last Monday that the grant request has been approved by the district. The project was able to receive this large of a matching grant due to collaboration with six other Rotary clubs. As we we get closer to the open date for 66 West, we will have to provide "sweat equity," which will involve setting up furniture along with other tasks.
The contribution from our club, which will total just under $15,000, will be the result of the Edina Rotary Foundation Fundraiser & Gala, set for Oct. 1, 2016. This is just one of many projects that our club can be part of because of the fundraiser.
We are excited that 66 West will call it the "Rotary Community Room" and the room will feature a sign recognizing all the clubs that are involved. This project is truly evidence of "Rotary Serving Humanity."
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Great Clips Chief Executive Officer Rhoda Olson to the Thursday, July 21, meeting. She was named CEO of Great Clips in 2011, after being promoted to President/Chief Operating Officer in 1998. Olson has been with Great Clips, headquartered in Minneapolis, since 1984.
During Olsen’s tenure as President/COO, Great Clips grew from just over 1,000 salons in 1998 to over 3,700 salons in 2013. During that time, Great Clips also grew system revenues four-fold increasing from $200 million to just over a billion dollars. Today, Great Clips is the world’s largest salon brand with locations in more than 180 markets across North America.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Great Clips Chief Executive Officer Rhoda Olson to the Thursday, July 21, meeting. She was named CEO of Great Clips in 2011, after being promoted to President/Chief Operating Officer in 1998. Olson has been with Great Clips, headquartered in Minneapolis, since 1984.
Club President Ann Platt called the meeting to order by sharing some recent updates of Rotarian participation in the community. Recently club members have participated and supported the groundbreaking of 66 West in Edina, the 2016–2017 Signature Project for the club. And Paul Peterson performed at the Peter Frampton concert, with more than 60 Rotarians in attendance to support Paul. A pre-concert cocktail party for Rotarians at Rock Bottom Brewery was also well attended.
Dan Mott attended the front desk, while Wayne Harmon, Ian Colville, and Tom Cook served as greeters. San Asato provided the invocation, Pledge of Allegiance and Four-Way Test. Skip Thomas introduced and acknowledged our guests in attendance, including:
Roberta McNellis, wife and guest of Tom McNellis
Shelia Asato, wife and guest of San Asato and daughter of Tom McNellis
Howard Cocks, guest of Bill Milota
Lexi Reed Holtum, executive director of the Steve Rummler Hope Foundation, guest of Ann Platt
Sam Thompson, 2016 Fundraiser & Gala Co-Chair, provided an update regarding this year's event. The Gala will be Oct. 1, 2016 at the DoubleTree Hilton. The club is fortunate to auction off two tickets to the Ryder Cup as a fundraiser prior to the gala. Because this event is in the near future, the auction will be held July 28. If you cannot be in attendance, you can email Sam directly to place a bid on the tickets.
July 28 is also Prospective Member Day. Rotarians are encouraged to bring a guest to the meeting who may be interested in joining the club. Prospective members are not charged for their meal on Prospective Member Day.
Libby Schmit, a member of the Community Service—Local Funding Committee, announced a grant to the Edina Police Department. Edina Police Detective David Linen thanked the club for providing the Edina Rotary Foundation grant to the department this spring. The funding was used to acquire a software package that allows imaging of digital technology without altering evidence. This is extremely important knowing how technology evidence is now part of many legal cases.
Abdi Ali shared his experience from Camp RYLA. The Rotary Club of Edina sponsors students each year to the camp in Wisconsin, and Abdi was one of those students in 2015. Abdi stressed how much the camp helped him develop relationships and leadership skills for the future. He learned that knowledge is a path, and wisdom is a purpose. He was grateful for the opportunity to attend the camp and grow as a leader.
The Rev. Thomas Cook gave his classification talk at the meeting. Rev. Cook’s classification is Ministry. He has spent 19 years in the Episcopal Church. His service in the church is aligned with the principles of service to human kind that Rotary represents. Tom was raised in Florida and is a 1989 graduate from the University of Florida. Early in his career, he was a lobbyest for the State University System in Florida. He was later called to service in the ministry of the church. His father, Robert Cook, was a founding member of the Rotary Club in Tavares, Florida. Tom has three children. His oldest son is in the restaurant industry in Pittsburgh. His other son, the middle child, serves as an Army Ranger, and his 15-year-old daughter plays hockey for Edina and is preparing to get her driver's license. Rotary has been a part of Tom’s life since he was a boy and he continues to enjoy the values of Rotary as an adult.
Tim Murphy introduced guest speaker William Moyers. Moyers, vice president of public affairs and community relations at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, spoke about "Broken: My Story of Addiction and Recovery."
Moyers joined Hazelden in 1996 and has dedicated his career to eliminating barriers to recovery from addiction to alcohol and other drugs. As Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation's vice president of public affairs and community relations, he carries the message of hope, health and healing to policy makers, the media and communities across the nation.
Moyers is also the best-selling author of “Broken: My Story of Addiction and Recovery” and “Now What? An Insider’s Guide to Addiction and Recovery.” He has appeared on Larry King Live and Oprah and is a regular contributor to Good Morning America. As a former journalist for CNN, his work has been featured in the New York Times, USA Today and Newsweek.
William shared that nearly 20 years ago he joined the Hazelden Foundation. Years ago, he prepared a speech for a group of Rotarians about addiction in the workplace. As he began to speak and share statistics and expert opinion, he soon realized the need for personal connection. William shared that he is an addict in recovery. He was living proof that anyone can be susceptible to addiction and that an individual's brain processes addiction differently. While we are all wired differently, there is a solution—personal responsibility. It took William four stints in rehab for his addiction to go into remission. The Minneapolis/St. Paul community serves as a crossroads in America for recovery and support. The problem of addiction has never been more serious, and it is important to understand empathy and support for people who struggle with personal addiction.
Scott MacDonald thanked Mr. Moyers for his moving and genuine message with a club donation on Moyers' behalf to Edina Give & Go. Club President Ann Platt adjourned the meeting.
As part of the annual fundraiser for the Edina Rotary Foundation, Jon Barnett will auction off tickets to the Ryder Cup at the Rotary Club of Edina's July 28 meeting.
The package includes two tickets for:
practice rounds Tuesday through Thursday
opening ceremony Thursday
Ryder Cup rounds Friday through Sunday
The ticket holder will have access to the sports-themed International Pavilion where there is air conditioning, protection from the rain, an outdoor patio and an excellent selection of food and beverage to purchase.
There is free parking at Centerbury Park with a complimentary shuttle to and from Hazeltine. The tickets can be transferred, so you can give away or otherwise do what you want with the tickets.
For more information or to bid in advance of the meeting, contact Fundraiser Committee Co-Chair Sam Thompson, 612-282-1750.
Don't Miss The Chance to Bid on Ryder Cup Tickets!
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome William Moyers as program speaker at the Thursday, July 14, meeting. Moyers, vice president of public affairs and community relations at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, will speak about "Broken: My Story of Addiction and Recovery."
Moyers joined Hazelden in 1996 and has dedicated his career to eliminating barriers to recovery from addiction to alcohol and other drugs. As Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation's vice president of public affairs and community relations, he carries the message of hope, health and healing to policy makers, the media and communities across the nation.
Moyers is also the best-selling author of “Broken: My Story of Addiction and Recovery” and “Now What? An Insider’s Guide to Addiction and Recovery.” He has appeared on Larry King Live and Oprah and is a regular contributor to Good Morning America. As a former journalist for CNN, his work has been featured in the New York Times, USA Today and Newsweek.
New member Tom Cook will give his classification talk at the meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome William Moyers as program speaker at the Thursday, July 14, meeting. Moyers, vice president of public affairs and community relations at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, will speak about "Broken: My Story of Addiction and Recovery." Moyers is also an author and former journalist.
New member Tom Cook will give his classification talk at the meeting.
Ann Platt kicked off her first meeting as president by wishing Gordy Lewis a happy 89th birthday! She then thanked Josh Sprague, Greg Yoch and David Hatzung for their help and participation in the Edina Fourth of July parade, where they walked with the superhero crew again this year. They reminded everyone that Rotarians are “everyday super heroes!”
Tom Cook and Andrea Thompson Miller greeted Rotarians and their guests. John Flynn worked the front desk. Royce Pavelka stepped in to lead the invocation, Pledge of Allegiance and Rotary Four-Way Test. Sonja Tengdin introduced guests, including:
Adrian Valle, guest of Brad Hepp, and employee at Ecolab
Kyle Wheaton, guest of Dave Hatzung, and his son-in-law
Stephen Hazulia, guest of Bill Clynes and Jim Roberts
Rolf Henze, guest and father of Sonja Tengdin
Jim Platt, guest of Tim Murphy and husband of President Ann Platt
T.J. Moore, guest and son of Terry Moore
Joe Stearly, guest of Brad Beard, and working under Brad at Fairview Southdale Hospital
John Fujitake, also a guest of Brad Beard, an intern with Brad at Fairview Southdale Hospital
Don Hutchison invited everyone to attend the St. Paul Saints game Sunday, Aug. 14, at their new CHS Field in Lowertown St. Paul! The cost is $30 and includes a picnic before the game. Go to www.EdinaRotary.org and register now!
Representatives from the Alzheimer’s Association accepted a $2,000 check from the Edina Rotary Foundation. Community Service–Local Grants Committee member Jim Ryman presented the check. The grant will be used to purchase Medic Alert Safe Return bracelets or pendants. If an individual with Alzheimer's or a related dementia wanders and becomes lost, caregivers can call the 24-hour emergency response line to report it. A community support network will be activated, including local Alzheimer Association chapters and law enforcement agencies, to help reunite the person who wandered with the caregiver or a family member. With this service, critical medical information will be provided to emergency responders when needed. In the photo at right with the Alzheimer's Association grant recipients and Jim Ryman are Rotarians Rick Carlson and Sue Spalding (both on left).
New member Bjorn Freudenthal, originally from Finland and now a resident of Northfield, Minnesota, gave a fascinating classification talk on his family, work and values. He is shown at left with (left to right) Rotarians Sutton McGraw, Andrea Thompson Miller and Josh Sprague.
Ann introduced the speaker, Doug Baker, CEO of Ecolab, who gave an interesting presentation on what Ecolab is doing to preserve water and make sure the world’s growing population gets fed. He brought to light how much water is used to create certain things. For example, it takes 169 gallons to make your average six-pack of beer; 450 gallons to make a cheeseburger; and a whopping 39,000 gallons to make a new car.
Jim Roberts thanked the speaker. Jim shared that this Rotary year, a donation would be made in the program speaker's name to Edina Challenge, a collaborative effort of 14 community organizations led by the Edina Community Foundation to support disadvantaged youth so they are able to access Edina's great resources and develop as healthy productive adults.
Ann closed the meeting with a quote from John F. Kennedy: “Anyone who can solve the problems of water will be worthy of two Nobel prizes—one for peace and one for science.”
At the final meeting of the 2015–2016 Rotary year, President Jennifer Bennerotte honored several Rotarians for their above-and-beyond service to the Rotary Club of Edina.
The Rotary Club of Edina held its transition meeting, and the final meeting of the 2015–2016 Rotary year, June 30. The presidency of the club transferred from Jennifer Bennerotte to Ann Platt at the meeting. Ann officially took over as the 60th president of the Rotary Club of Edina July 1.
Outgoing Club and Foundation Board members were also honored at the meeting, and incoming board members were announced.
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Meg Boehne as a member in January 2016. Meg's sponsor to the club was Scott MacDonald. Click on the link to get to know Meg...
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina in The Barker. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Meg Boehne as a member in December 2015. Meg's sponsor to the club was Scott MacDonald. Read on to get to know more about Meg...
Name: Meg Boehne
Classification: Encore career in Luxury Real Estate after retiring from a 25-year career with General Mills
What was your first job? As a 13-year-old, I detasseled corn for Funks G. Hybrid Corn Company
Who was your first role model and why? Margaret Watson. My lovely and courageous mother was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at the age of 39. She passed away at the age of 85 after demonstrating that you can live a full and happy life despite having a chronic illness for 46 years.
Why did you want to join Rotary? Edina Rotary members use their time and talent to give back. I value organizations that do good and that is the primary reason I decided to join the Edina Rotary Club. The other reason is that Scott MacDonald invited me!
What do you like best about being part of the Rotary Club of Edina? Meeting people and making new friends.
What one piece of advice do you offer other business leaders? Challenge and push yourself to learn new skills. Always add value and contribute. Be a life-long learner.
For the first meeting of the new Rotary year, the Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Doug Baker, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Ecolab Inc., as the program speaker. Baker will speak at the Thursday, July 7, meeting about "Water Scarcity: A Report from the Front."
Bjorn Freudenthal will give his classification talk at the meeting.
It was a very festive atmosphere for the final meeting of the Rotary year—the transition meeting—with balloons, flowers, posters and an in-and-out microphone!
Outgoing President Jennifer Bennerotte welcomed fellow Rotarians to the meeting sporting a #1 baseball jersey representing the sixth-grade team our club sponsors. She reminded us to keep Joel Jennings in our thoughts and prayers.
Jeff Ohe handled the front desk, and Tim Fargo and Andy Finsness greeted members and guests. Mike Norman gave an Independence Day invocation. Will Steinke introduced our guests of whom there were many family, friends and coworkers.
New members Jack Atnip andKevin Strandberg were inducted to the club by Past Presidents Brad Hepp and Steve Slyce.
Outgoing District Governor Tim Murphy spoke about joining Rotary 21 years ago and found that he was rubbing shoulders with individuals of significance. Tim thanked Jennifer for what he said was an extraordinary year. He also presented her with a Gold Presidential Citation that is given to a very few Rotary Clubs by the Rotary International president.
Jennifer gave special shout outs to our Rotarian of the Year, Marty Kupper, calling him her right- and left-hand man. Marty was accompanied by his wife and two daughters. Also, Josh Sprague was lauded for his efforts to establish a Rotary Interact Club at Edina High School. Rotary Rookies of the Year were Royce Pavelka and Greg Yoch. Jennifer Garske was honored with a Paul Harris Fellow for all her above-and-beyond efforts as club administrator.
President Jennifer thanked all the outgoing Club and Foundation Board members and introduced the new members. Rotarians who have fulfilled their commitment on the club and foundation boards were honored. They include: Jeff Ohe, Past President; Barbara Born, Club Service Director; Gary Pedersen, International Service Director; Josh Sprague, Membership Director—Recruitment; Mary Swendsen, Community Service Director—Local Projects; and Foundation Board members Joe Christensen, Sandy Schley and Paul Mooty. Thank you for your service!
Incoming members of both boards were welcomed to their new roles, including: Deirdre Kvale, Club Service Director; Ed Padilla, International Service Director; Kip Peterson, Community Service—Local Projects Director; Greg Yoch, Membership Director—Recruitment; and new Foundation Board members Scott MacDonald, at-large member; and Gary Pedersen, International Service. Jeff Ohe will continue on the Foundation Board, now as an at-large member. And Josh Sprague will stay on the Club board and join the Foundation Board in his role as Club Secretary. Good luck to all the Rotary directors and officers in the new year!
In keeping with the jersey theme Jennifer, a bit emotionally, read a letter that was written by a former player to the person who was next in line to wear her number. After that she told us how proud and honored she was to serve as our President this past year, and how she will miss being in on the little things. She thanked us all.
Jennifer then introduced our next President, Ann Platt, and presented her with a #1 baseball jersey of her own.
Ann said she was excited and honored to be our President and introduced this year’s Rotary theme: “Rotary Serving Humanity." She then presented Jennifer with a Past President's pin, a special plaque and a poster that all members in attendance had signed on their way into the meeting. This was followed by a standing ovation for Jennifer.
Ann outlined a few of her goals for this year. She wants us to develop greater friendships with fellow Rotarians through working together on various committees, increase our membership, including many new female members, and collaborate with other local and international clubs, the Edina Chamber, Explore Edina and the Interact Club.
President Platt then closed the year and began her term with a resounding ring of the bell!
There is no Rotary Happy Hour in July! Join us for the next Edina Rotary Happy Hour/Vocational Development Group. Wednesday, Aug. 3, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Mezz, located upstairs in Lunds & Byerly's at 7171 France Ave. S. in Edina. Access The Mezz from the entrance closest to France Avenue (SW corner of the store). Wine and craft beer is available at your own cost. A limited menu may be available, but you can also purchase food in the grocery deli and bring it upstairs.
The event will feature a short social period, with a "formal" program beginning at 6 p.m. Each person will have a brief opportunity to introduce themselves and make new connections. A featured presenter will have 15 minutes to share information that is relevant to his or her profession followed by a short Q&A period. The speaker at the Aug. 3 happy hour will be Edina Morningside Rotary Club member Dr. Casey Moore.
Rotary Happy Hour is a collaboration between the Rotary Club of Edina and EMRC. Renee Harberts has recently taken over the planning of the speakers from Kip Peterson, who started the monthly gathering back in 2014.
No Rotary Happy Hour in July; Next Gathering is Aug. 3
The final meeting of the Rotary year will be Thursday, June 30. This is the transition meeting, where the presidency of the Rotary Club of Edina will transfer from Jennifer Bennerotte to Ann Platt. Outgoing club and foundation board members will be honored for their service, and incoming board members will be welcomed. Don't miss the chance to congratulate Jennifer on a successful Rotary year, and wish Ann luck in the year ahead.
New members Jack Atnip and Kevin Strandberg will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
The final meeting of the Rotary year will be this Thursday, June 30. This is the transition meeting, where the presidency of the Rotary Club of Edina will transfer from Jennifer Bennerotte to Ann Platt. Outgoing club and foundation board members will be honored for their service, and incoming board members will be welcomed. Don't miss the chance to congratulate Jennifer on a successful Rotary year, and wish Ann luck in the year ahead.
At the meeting, outgoing President Jennifer Bennerotte will reflect on the progress the club has made in the last year. Jennifer will serve on the club and foundation boards next year as Past President.
Rotarians who have fulfilled their commitment on the club and foundation boards will be honored. They include: Jeff Ohe, Past President; Barbara Born, Club Service Director; Gary Pedersen, International Service Director; Josh Sprague, Membership Director—Recruitment; Mary Swendsen, Community Service Director—Local Projects; and Foundation Board members Joe Christensen and Paul Mooty. Thank you for your service!
Incoming President Ann Platt will go over her plans and goals for the new Rotary year. Her presidency will run from July 2016 through June 2017. The theme for her Rotary year is "Rotary Serving Humanity."
New members of both boards will be welcomed to their new roles, including Deirdre Kvale, Club Service Director; Ed Padilla, International Service Director; Kip Peterson, Community Service—Local Projects Director; Greg Yoch, Membership Director—Recruitment; and new Foundation Board members Scott MacDonald, at-large member; and Gary Pedersen, International Service. Good luck to all the Rotary directors and officers in the new year!
New members Jack Atnip and Kevin Strandberg will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
A full house of Edina Rotarians and guests gathered together in friendship and purpose to congratulate President Jennifer Bennerotte on this next-to-the-last meeting she will be leading, to be privileged to hear our guest speaker, to be brought up to date on what’s happening in our Club and to share valuable time with our friends.
President Jennifer was again the recipient of her customary applause from our membership as she brought our meeting to order at 12:35 p.m. She thanked greeters Patti Solheim and Ron Erhardt; front desk, Deirdre Kvale and Jen Garske; invocation, Scott Neal; guest introductions, Mary Swendsen; speaker introduction, Heather Hansen; and thank-you to speaker, Tom Ries.
Jennifer focused her opening comments by stating next week she would be acknowledging the contributions to our club by our current board members and officers but that Community Service—Local Projects Director Mary Swendsen would be unable to attend next week. In her always thoughtful way, she recognized and thanked Mary for her leadership in so many ways, including the new literacy program for third-graders. Mary followed by thanking all of her committee members for their outstanding service and support.
Scott Neal delivered a most creative invocation, at the same time lamenting and extolling the extraordinary frustration and importance of road construction in our community, while offering a modified and timely version of St. Francis of Assisi’s "Serenity Prayer" that applied so well to our modern day experience with traffic and road construction.
Following Scott’s invocation our guests and Rotarians alike were amazed to see a walking/talking version of the statue of liberty and a reincarnated Yogi Berra walk through our dining room. These clever characters (Fundraiser co-chairs Leann Stessman and Sam Thompson) threw baseballs to the audience while "New York, New York" was playing loudly and raising our spirits! Leann reminded us that the annual Fundraiser will be taking place this year on Oct. 1 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Bloomington—SAVE THE DATE! Sam recited a dozen or more “Yogi-isms,” including a reminder that Yogi said he never said most of the words he said. As he continued quoting Yogi, it seemed to this writer like deja vu all over again.
Jim Ryman represented the Community Service—Local Funding committee in presenting Cornerstone Advocacy Services with a grant to purchase a work station and printer for their client’s use. He proudly stated that our club this year has donated some $50,000 to 13 different organizations.
Chanhassen Rotarian Tim Mulcrone, Polio Eradication Chair for District 5950, reported that globally, last year there were only reported 17 cases of polio in two countries. He was here to present an award to Tom McNellis for his generous gift to The Rotary Foundation for polio eradication in honor of Tom’s brother, Jerry, a childhood victim of polio who died this past year.
Once again our club was honored to induct a new member—Andrea Thompson Miller. She was sponsored by Josh Sprague and inducted by Past President Steve Slyce. Andrea’s classification is Employer Consulting. Welcome, Andrea!We look forward to getting to know you in the years ahead.
At precisely 1 p.m., Heather Hansen stepped to the podium to offer a heartfelt and informative introduction of our special guest speaker, Sister Mary Madonna Ashton. Her introduction was so good and complete that Sister Mary Madonna quipped that she probably wouldn’t have to say anything beyond what’s already been said about her!!!!!
We were the recipients of hearing about one of the nicest success stories that had more “forks in the road” for our speaker than most of us ever encountered or could ever imagine encountering. She referred several time to the fact that “God writes straight with crooked lines,” and how trusting in God has guided her path through life in such a special way, time and time again. She said it isn’t easy to “let go and let God,” but that when we trust in Him and turn the outcome over to Him, things have a way of working out. A child growing up in an Episcopalian family, “forks in the road” brought her to a Catholic high school, later to the College of St. Catherine, becoming a nun, later obtaining an MHA from the U of M and MSW from St. Louis University.
Among Sister Mary Madonna’s many accomplishments include serving as president and CEO of St. Mary’s Hospital in Minneapolis. She was appointed by Gov. Rudy Perpich as Minnesota Commissioner of Health, from 1983–1991. After that experience she joined the Sisters of St. Joseph to establish what is now St. Mary’s Health Clinics, located throughout the Twin Cities, serving those who have nowhere else to turn for medical care.
Sister Mary Madonna, now 92, is the oldest living recipient to be honored as a National Women’s History Month Honoree. She received this prestigious national award March 19, 2016, in Washington, D.C., joining the ranks of such previous recipients as Susan B. Anthony, Clara Barton, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Dorothy Day, Eleanor Roosevelt and a host of others.
After a remarkably inspirational talk, at 1:25 p.m. Tom Ries thanked our speaker with his usual aplomb, and Jennifer reminded us to go about our days being a "Gift to the World!" The meeting adjourned with all of us being better for having attended!
Lunch at a Rotary Club of Edina meeting will now be $20 starting July 7. Regular members will see this increase on their Q1 billing (July–September), to be sent out this week. Senior Active and Honorary members, as well as guests, will pay $20 at the door.
Our club now accepts credit cards for payment for meals at meetings. Members and guests can pay for lunch at the door using credit cards, in addition to the usual cash or check. Club Administrator Jennifer Garske will be using Square, which gives the club the ability to swipe magstripe cards and take chip cards at meetings, and use a point-of-sale app to charge customers. There is an additional $1 service charge on each meal, so you will be charged $21 for each lunch if you pay by credit card.
Please see Jen at the front desk if you wish to pay by credit card. A receipt will be emailed to you after purchase.
Please let Jennifer Garske or Past President Jennifer Bennerotte know if you have any questions. Thanks!
Lunch now $20, pay with cash, check or credit card
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Sister Mary Madonna Ashton as program speaker at the Thursday, June 23, meeting. Sister Mary Madonna was a 2016 National Women's History Month Honoree. This is the second-to-the-last meeting of the Rotary year.
Here is more about Sister Mary Madonna from the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet & Consociates:
March is National Women's History Month and the Sisters of St. Joseph are proud to announce Sister Mary Madonna Ashton, CSJ, is a 2016 National Women’s History Month Honoree. The 2016 theme established by the National Women’s History Project is “Working to Form a More Perfect Union: Honoring Women in Public Service and Government.”
"Sister Mary Madonna, at age 92, is oldest living recipient to be honored and only the second woman religious (Sister Aloysius Molloy, OSF, honored in 2007) to be honored since the project began in 1980” explained Molly Murphy MacGregor of the Women’s History Project (NWHP). NWHP is a clearinghouse providing information and training in multicultural women’s history for educators, community organizations, parents or anyone seeking to expand their understanding of women’s contributions to U.S. history.
Sister Mary Madonna has an impressive Minnesota-based career in public and private service. She served as president and CEO of St. Mary’s Hospital in Minneapolis, State Commissioner of Health under Governor Rudy Perpich, and founded St. Mary’s Health Clinics.
She worked in medical social work and hospital administration, ultimately serving as president and CEO at St. Mary’s Hospital in Minneapolis.
After resigning her CEO position, she was contacted by then Minnesota Governor-elect Rudy Perpich who asked her to serve as Commissioner of Health. “There was a tremendous amount of opposition,” recalls Sister Ashton. She wasn’t a doctor. She was a woman and a nun! During consecutive terms she addressed smoking cessation and AIDS, becoming a highly respected and successful Commissioner of Health.
After her term, she founded St. Mary’s Health Clinics for people without access to healthcare. The free clinics, run by volunteer physicians and nurses, still serve the Twin Cities metropolitan area. “We opened our first clinic in January of 1992. We thought it would be temporary,” said Ashton. By the time she retired in 2000, SMHC had 11 clinics. Today, the clinics continue operating. “Even after Obamacare, there are still people without access to healthcare.”
Sister Mary Madonna holds a Bachelor of Arts from the College of St. Catherine (now St. Catherine University) and servies as a University trustee emerita, a Master of Hospital Administration from the University of Minnesota, and a Master of Science in social work from St. Louis University. She received honorary doctorate degrees from The College of St. Catherine in St. Paul in 1996 and Hamline University in St. Paul in 1997.
Mary Madonna received her award in Washington, D.C. March 19, 2016.
The Rotary Club of Edina meets at 12:15 p.m. Thursdays at the Edina Country Club. All are welcome to attend the program and have lunch. Cost for the meal is $19 for adults and $12 for children.
Sister Mary Madonna to speak at this week's meeting
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Sister Mary Madonna Ashton as program speaker at the Thursday, June 23, meeting. Sister Mary Madonna was a 2016 National Women's History Month Honoree. She also served as president and CEO of St. Mary’s Hospital in Minneapolis, State Commissioner of Health under Governor Rudy Perpich and founded St. Mary’s Health Clinics.
Rotarian Stan Brown will give his classification talk at the meeting.
Strong community and the joy of being together with friends and family outshines any clouds or rain.
More than 60 Rotarians and enthusiastic family and kids enjoyed a fun evening of community and fun at Bryant Lake Park tonight. Table after table was a mix of old friends and new friends, little kids and veterans. Each one with a special story, each one enjoying the fun.
Lisa Walker and Hugh Hadlund outdid themselves with the amazing caterer, Divine Swine, and their delectable pulled pork and turkey. Oh, the barbecue sauce - they have the touch! Plenty of napkins, but this was finger-licking good. I saw more than one big kid with a touch of the red sauce on their nose or a dollop of the special frosting on the delicious cupcakes on their cheek.
I’ve never seen so many prizes—each of us stuffed a card with our name into a basket, each one of us hoping against hope that our name would be drawn...this card, no the next one, no the next. Certificates for fine gourmet sandwiches, exotic Italian cuisine and haute cuisine baking and coffee—where did they find these prizes? Wow, I don’t want to miss next year.
Entertainer Tuey Wilson—what an amazing juggler1—wowed the crowd doing complex and death-defying feats. Even the special mood lighting that warmed the latter part of our evening didn’t seem to deter his ability to awe and inspire all of us. There was even audience participation, showing we have a lot of talent in our midst.
New Generations Exchange student Andrea, here from Korea for a few weeks to meet Minnesota and grow her community of sports medicine professionals—ready or not—got a big taste of our club’s spirit and joy. Little kids and big kids all having a fabulous time.
Other responsibilities required that I leave before the last jug was juggled but the room was full of wows and awes and I can just imagine that things kept rocking with joy long after I left.
Lisa and Hugh—you really out did yourselves. Many thanks for a special evening for everyone.
The June 9, 2016 meeting began promptly at 12:25 p.m. after all were greeted by Michael Eckert and Toni Gerard. The front desk duties were handled by Jack Kennefick and Mary Hustad. President Jennifer Bennerotte welcomed a full house and shared with us her own personal adventure in "Entrepreneurial Land." While in elementary school, she and a friend grew $2 into $100 as part of a class challenge, donating the proceeds to a charitable cause. Nice work Jenn! You can handle my portfolio anytime.
Jean Morrison offered a memorable invocation using a Gandhi devotion. During this, all attendees formed circles at the their tables by holding hands during the reading—a very special time. Bob Stehlik introduced the 15 guests and three visiting Rotarians who chose to be with us on this day. Our former Youth Exchange student Kat Fink then shared her time in Denmark (in the 2014–2015 Rotary year) with us and thanked the club for the opportunity.
Keith Benson, Community Service—Local Funding Director, presented a grant check from the Edina Rotary Foundation to Fraser. Fraser is Minnesota's largest and most experienced provider of autism services. Fraser also provides services for mental health and other developmental disabilities for children and adults with special needs through healthcare, education and housing.
TRF Director Sue Spalding presented our newest and multiple Paul Harris Fellows as follows:
New PHF: Renee Harberts, John Mazzara, Kelly Sprague, Charles Sprague and Mary Swendsen
Multiple PHF: Dan Hennen, Sonja Tengdin, Bill Carter, Keith Benson, John Flynn, Skip Thomas, Joe Christensen and Tom Pirsch
Wooj Byun (limited to one minute!) succinctly reviewed his time in Seoul where Rotary's international convention was held and he was a featured speaker. He encouraged all of us to try to attend one of these gatherings.
Finally, at this very busy portion of the meeting, our 170th member, Ian Colville, was inducted into our club by our firest female club president, Patti Ellingson-Solheim.
Michael Eckert introduced our program speakers with a slow poetic version of "Splish, Slash, I was takin' a bath" followed by a vocal rendition of "Rubber Ducky." Nice job Mike, but don't give up your day job. :)
Our club was treated to a lesson in entrepreneurship by two young girls: sisters Caroline and Isabel Bercaw. They surprised the most successful members of our club with their story of launching a company selling homemade "bath bombs." Their business has now grown to 320 stores in 30 states. Not bad for sisters ages 14 and 15 years.
Their story is best read online at www.dabombfizzers.com. We wish them continued success in their endeavor. They were thanked by Erick Ries and the meeting was adjourned at 1:32 p.m.
The Rotary Club of Edina welcomes members and their guests to attend the annual Family Picnic Tuesday, June 14, at the Pavilion at Bryant Lake Regional Park in Eden Prairie. Members are encouraged to bring significant others, children and grandchildren to this event for all ages. There will be food, games, door prizes and music! Registration ends Friday, June 10, so make sure you get signed up now!
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Lisa Walker as a member in December 2015. Lisa's sponsor to the club was Les Wanninger. Click on the link to get to know Lisa...
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome program speakers, and sisters, Caroline and Isabel Bercaw to the Thursday, June 9, meeting. They will speak about "Business is Booming! How a Pair of Teenage Sisterpreneurs from Edina Created a Successful Bath Bomb Business."
Caroline and Isabel Bercaw are just 14 and 15 years old, but in the past year, they have launched a successful startup company selling fizzing bath bombs. With support from their parents, their bath fizzers have gotten into over 100 retail stores across six states. The girls also opened two retail kiosks at local shopping malls last November, and have their own e-commerce website.
According to the sisters, "When we were younger, we loved using bath bombs in the tub. But we couldn't help but feel a little bit sad when a bomb finished dissolving because, well ... it was gone. So we decided to create our own line of fizzing bath bombs that each contain a fun surprise in the middle. Now isn't that WAY more exciting than a bath bomb that just disappears? (We think so!) We also wanted to keep our bombs as natural as possible, so we make them using just a few simple, high-quality ingredients. When you use one of our products, we hope it fills your bath with fizzing fun."
New member Ian Colville will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
Caroline and Isabel Bercaw to Speak at June 9 Meeting
Local entrepreneurs, sisters Caroline and Isabel Bercaw, will be the program speakers at the Thursday, June 9, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. They will speak about "Business is Booming!: How a Pair of Teenage Sisterpreneurs from Edina Created a Successful Bath Bomb Business." The 14- and 15-year-old created the very successful business Da Bomb Bath Fizzers.
New member Ian Colville will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
Join us for the Edina Rotary Happy Hour/Vocational Development Group. The next gathering is Wednesday, June 1, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Mezz, located upstairs in Lunds & Byerly's at 7171 France Ave. S. in Edina. Access The Mezz from the entrance closest to France Avenue (SW corner of the store). Wine and craft beer is available at your own cost. A limited menu may be available, but you can also purchase food in the grocery deli and bring it upstairs.
The event will feature a short social period, with a "formal" program beginning at 6 p.m. Each person will have a brief opportunity to introduce themselves and make new connections. A featured presenter will have 15 minutes to share information that is relevant to his or her profession followed by a short Q&A period. The presenter at the June meeting will be Mike Sitek. Rotary Happy Hour is a collaboration between the Rotary Club of Edina and EMRC. Renee Harberts has recently taken over the planning of the speakers from Kip Peterson.
Terry Clark, Chief Marketing Officer for UnitedHealth Group, will be the program speaker at the Thursday, June 2, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Clark will give a presentation on "Today's Marketing."
Clark joined UnitedHealth Group in 2006 from InterActiveCorp, a consumer technology company comprised of leading digital brands, where he last served as Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the company's Entertainment Publications division.
Rotarian Dan Hennen will give his classification talk at the meeting.
Terry Clark of UnitedHealth Group to speak at June 2 meeting
The Rotary Club of Edina enjoyed a large turnout on a warm spring afternoon, as we gathered to celebrate the seventh-annual "Chrysanne Manoles Women in Leadership Award" at our meeting. President Jennifer Bennerotte gaveled the meeting to order and Paul Mooty gave a heartfelt invocation describing the many blessings he has received from his membership in our club. Sam Thompson introduced numerous guests and visiting Rotarians.
Ron Kalich helped out at the front desk at the meeting, and we were greeted by Rick Burrock, Bill Carter and Bjorn Freudenthal.
We received thanks from Nicole Mills, Executive Director of Oasis for Youth, who accepted a local grant from Community Service—Local Funding Director Keith Benson on behalf of the Edina Rotary Foundation. Oasis for Youth opens doors to housing, employment, education and wellness for homeless youth in the suburbs. Nicole described the many programs that give homeless youth a better chance every day.
Edina Rotarian Kenny Smith gave a light-hearted Classification Talk as he described his many jobs before college, including newspaper delivery (fourth grade), soccer ref, caddie at Interlachen, delivery person and many others. Kenny attended the U of M, had courses in London and in Egypt and finished with a law degree at William Mitchell. He spent time working for both Amy Klobuchar and Tim Pawlenty. His personal interests run the gamut of sports. Kenny is employed at Christensen & Laue, PA in Edina.
A former Rotary Youth Exchange (YE) student, Amy Hobday, gave a lively presentation on her year in the region of Milan, Italy. Amy was an outbound YE student sponsored by the Edina Rotary clubs in the 2014–2015 school year. Amy described the year as a “re-do of senior year” in high school. Her biggest challenge was to learn Italian on the fly. She noted that although she had earlier attended a French immersion school in Edina, that seemed of little help in mastering this language. Amy described wonderful experiences with three host families and obviously made many friends in her year abroad.
Our Program was presented by Ms. Bennerotte and she introduced Edina Rotarian Chrysanne Manoles, who was the first female admitted to Edina Rotary—in the year 1998. Chrysanne presented the 2016 Award to Ann Swenson, Edina City Council member. Ann has pioneered several important projects for the city including two sculptures—"Spaulding" the dog and "Slapshot," a hockey icon. Ann was also instrumental in 66 West Apartments, supportive housing for southwest suburban youth and young adults who have experiences homelessness. Ann’s many accomplishments were noted by Chrysanne.
The 2015 Women in Leadership Award winner, Kris Marshall, then gave her thoughts on the past year. Kris noted the top three factors in Connecting with Kids, which she describes as the “deep roots” that make kids successful. They include support from three non-parent adults in the community; peers who are good role models for kids; and three or more hours per week in sports, clubs and organizations. Marie Pribyl thanked Kris for her presentation.
Thank You to Ann Swenson (2016 winner) and to Kris Marshall (2015 winner) for their work in the city of Edina!
We are heading into the final month of the 2015–2016 Rotary year! Rotarians and significant others are invited to a wine and appetizer social at Erik's Retreat from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 2. Erik's Retreat was the signature project for the 2015-2016 Rotary year. You are invited to toast the great work done with the Edina Rotary Foundation funds provided to Erik's Retreat with an evening of wine, appetizers and socializing! There is no charge for members or their guests for the event. Rotarians are encouraged to bring their significant other!
An RSVP is required for the event, so please register yourself and your guest online as soon as possible.
Erik's Retreat is at 3420 Heritage Drive in Edina. There will be signs directing guests to the parking lot, but note that it is the first parking lot on the right after you pass the Erik's Retreat building. For more information on the location or Erik's Retreat, call 612-865-3340.
For questions on the event, please contact Scott MacDonald at scottm@mac-mac.org or 612-868-3200 or Marty Kupper at marty@kupper.com or 952-841-2160.
Edina Rotary Wine and Appetizer Social Set for June 2 at Erik's Retreat
The Rotary Club of Edina will present the seventh-annual “Chrysanne Manoles Women In Leadership Award" at the Thursday, May 26, meeting. The program at the meeting will include the presentation of the award, as well as honoring last year's winner.
Reflecting society in 1905, the Rotary organization was limited to male members and remained so officially until 1989, when the Council on Legislation, Rotary’s parliament, voted to eliminate the male-only provision, opening up membership to qualified women across the world. However, the forward-thinking Rotary Club of Edina welcomed its first female member, Chrysanne Manoles, a year earlier in 1988. Manoles continues to be active in Rotary.
In Manoles’ honor and to celebrate the work of women in the community, the Rotary Club of Edina established an annual women’s leadership award in 2008. Previous winners include Dr. Laurel Wills, Ann Byrne, Donna Tilsner, Katey Taylor, Kim Foote and Kris Marshall.
Nominees for the award are found by soliciting the public for candidates. Nominees cannot be current Rotarians and must live, work or volunteer in Edina. Female nominees must demonstrate Rotary’s “Four-Way Test” of the things we think, say or do: Is it the truth? Is if fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
Also at the meeting, Kenny Smith will give his classification talk.
Women in Leadership Award to be presented at May 26 meeting
The Rotary Club of Edina presented the seventh-annual "Chrysanne Manoles Women in Leadership Award" to Edina City Councilmember Ann Swenson at the Thursday, May 26, meeting. The club gives this award out each year after soliciting nominations for women who live, work or volunteer in Edina.
A robust assemblage of Edina Noon Rotarians were on hand to celebrate springtime’s arrival in the north—for real this time (right?)! President Jennifer Bennerotte promptly (”promptly” has got to be Jenn’s favorite adverb!) welcomed the attendees, and quickly introduced Tim Murphy, outgoing District 5950 Governor. Tim’s brief remarks highlighted events at the recent District Conference, acknowledged Jody Kern’s outstanding contribution to the best District Conference ever, and concluded by reaffirming that our club is indeed the number one club in the universe. I wonder how the Klingon Morning Club feels about that?
Her Bennerotteness acknowledged those helping with the meeting, including greeters Libby Schmit, Frank Cardarelle and Stan Brown, as well as Kevin Kalal and the ever-faithful-to-his-not-inconsiderable-responsibilities Marty Kupper at the front desk.
Terry Moore gave the invocation, in which we were reminded of several oft-forgotten manifestations of our prosperity, then led us in the Pledge of Allegiance to our flag and the UNITED States of America, followed by the Four-Way Test. Scott Tankenoff introduced our guests:
Brandon Azbill, hosted of Wooj Byun and attending his fifth meeting
Dr. Olivia Zebre, who googled “Number One Club in the Universe," passed on the Klingons, and ended up with us—go figure!
Nathan Betts, an attorney in Joe Christensen’s office
Kyle Wheaton, guest of Dave Hatzung
Hannelore Brucker, guest of Dave Hatzung
Kenneth Burcher, guest of Josh Sprague
Visiting Rotarian Ken Ritterspach of the Bloomington Noon Club
But wait—there’s more!! Steve Buettner introduced two student guests from Edina High School, Julio Tomas and N'namdi Andersen, each of whom displayed great poise from the podium.
Former Edina Youth Exchange student Sarah Aydinalp gave a talk about her experience as an exchange student in Brazil during the 2014–2015 school year. She now lives in Plymouth.
Next, we were invited by Scott MacDonald to attend an Edina Rotary Wine and Appetizer Social from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. June 2 at Erik’s Retreat in Edina. Erik’s Retreat is a recent recipient of financial support from the Edina Rotary Foundation through our Club’s Community Service—Local Funding outreach. Erik's Retreat was the 2015–2016 Signature Project for Edina Rotary. Aptly described on its webpage as “A solution that was born out of love. And need," Erick's Ranch and Retreats proudly offers a first-of-its kind living, working and social environment for young adults with autism. What sets Erik’s Ranch & Retreats apart is that these young adults themselves operate the boutique-style guest accommodations at two destination locations: the Retreat in Edina, and Erik’s Ranch, in Paradise Valley, Montana. Wine will be available—so who’s not up for that!!? Register online ASAP.
Then John Mazzara gave his classification speech, in which we learned a lot about John. He has an undergraduate degree from St. John’s and an MBA from St. Thomas; he has an adventurous spirit exemplified by a whole bunch of early jobs—caddy, trapline, Byerly’s bag boy and self-proclaimed “disorderly” orderly. And, oh yes, a big career in real estate, finance and mortgage brokerage. And finally, your writer’s favorite vignette from John’s CV: honeymooned hunting and fishing in Alaska—with his wife’s enthusiastic agreement, no less! Must be some kinda woman—welcome to Edina Noon Rotary, John.
Wayne Harmon introduced our speaker, John Montague, co-founder and Chief Aspiration Officer of Aspire Beverage Company. Shouldn’t we all have an aspiration officer on our team? Last week’s The Barker led off with a long feature about John’s company and an awesome picture. In person, the take-aways from his talk were truly inspirational.
John explained the genesis of Aspire—a couple of guys sitting around discussing the sorry state of sugary sports drinks, and the inspiration of a young woman they read about who tracked her 50-pound weight gain and pinned it on the outrageous amount of sugar in her favorite sports drinks. So, having identified the problem, John and his pals set about finding a solution. The truly inspirational element of John’s journey was his fearlessness in tackling an area about which he knew nothing (sports drinks manufacturing) and his absolute faith in his team’s ability to bring in the right people with the right knowledge and skills to develop and market a superior product.
“People with knowledge are out there”, John said, and despite his characterization of himself and his co-founder as ”a couple of dumb hockey guys," his message resonates. “You can find people with knowledge you need—if you look.” Aspire to greatness, indeed! Well done, John.
Bob Perkins thanked the speaker, and Her Jenniferness segued beautifully to conclude on message: “Rotary aspires to be a gift to the world.” Meeting adjourned—promptly at 1:30 p.m.
The International Service Committee is hosting a New Generations exchange student that will be visiting Minnesota June 10 through July 3. Ji Hyeion "Andrea" Kim is majoring in Sports Medicine. The committee is looking for internship opportunities for her, as well as host families. Please contact Shelly Loberg at Shelly@Edina.org or 952-806-9064 if you can help.
The International Service Committee needs your help! We are hosting a New Generations Exchange student through Rotary International. Ji Hyeion "Andrea" Kim will arrive in Minnesota June 10 and will stay through July 3.
The committee is searching for internship opportunities for Andrea while she is here. They are also looking for families to host Andrea during her stay, and help with transportation to and from the internships. Andrea is majoring in Sports Medicine, focusing on treating and preventing athlete injury.
If you are interested, or know of someone who may be able to help, please contact Shelly Loberg at Shelly@Edina.org or 952-806-9064. Thank you in advance for your consideration!
New Generations exchanges usually last from a few weeks to three months, making this a suitable option for recent secondary school graduates, young professionals and Rotaractors. These exchanges may be arranged for individuals or groups and can involve homestays, tours or camps. Exchanges often can also include a vocational element, and some districts offer specialized internships. New Generations exchanges provide the opportunity to learn about a different culture while fostering goodwill and understanding.
Internships, host families sought for New Generations Exchange intern
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome John Montague as the program speaker at the Thursday, May 19, meeting. He will speak about "Aspire to Greatness: How Two Minnesota Hockey Dads Solved a Real Problem and Built a Great Company."
Montague is the co-founder and chief aspiration officer of Aspire Beverage Company, a Minnesota-based maker of natural sports drinks. During his presentation, Montague will talk about entrepreneurs being problem solvers. He will tell the story of two Minnesota hockey dad that couldn't find healthy sports drinks for their active families—so they created one. Montague will talk about how the "why" behind their business has provided a mission that drives everything that the company does. He shares how they are building a great company with an innovative, grass-roots approach that sets them apart in the beverage industry. Aspire sports drinks have rapidly grow from the ice arenas and ball fields of the Twin Cities to retailers, schools and sports facilities throughout the United States. He encourages everyone to "Aspire to greatness!"
Prior to Aspire, Montague founded and built two software businesses. As an entrepreneur, his primary expertise is building strong brands to drive marketing, sales and business development. Prior to becoming an entrepreneur, he began his career in the financial markets and advertising/marketing industries. He was awarded the Minnesota Cup in 2007. Recently, he was named to the Minnesota Business "Real Power 50" list and was an ACG "Bold Awards" recipient.
Montague is an Edina resident, and father of two children—Evan, 11, and Elle, 7. He coaches youth hockey, football and soccer. He actively consults with companies, large and small, on marketing, sales and business development.
John Mazzara will give his classification talk at the meeting.
John Montague, co-founder of Aspire Beverage Company, will be the program speaker at the Thursday, May 19, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Montague, an Edina resident, will speak about "Aspire to Greatness: How Two Minnesota Hockey Dads Solved a Real Problem and Built a Great Company."
John Mazzara will give his classification talk at the meeting.
The greeters at the May 12 Rotary Club of Edina meeting were Rick Carlson, John Buttolph and Katie Smith. Les Jones helped at the front desk and Alan Mogck lead us in the invocation, Pledge of Allegiance and Four-Way Test. His invocation focused on the diversity of our club and different religious backgrounds
Terry Stevens introduced guests:
Wooj Buyn introduced Brandon Azbill, a real estate agent and on his fourth meeting visit
Tom Cook had guests including his wife, Britton Cook, a history and science teacher; and his daughter, Candice Cook, a hockey star
Jennifer Bennerotte welcomed Beth Landers, business development at Brookdale Senior Living
Hugh Hadlund kindly reminded our club about the upcoming Rotary Family Picnic. Sign-up sheets were at our tables and the event will be Tuesday, June 14, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the pavilion at Bryant Lake Park in Eden Prairie. We are in need of volunteers to help with the picnic.
Sue Spalding, The Rotary Foundation director for our club, introduced Paul Harris Fellows:
John Solberg—PHF+1
Axel Steuer—PHF+1
Greg Yoch—PHF+1
Bill Milota—PHF+2
Sonja Tenjdin—PHF+2
Josh Sprague—PHF+3
Tom Bach—PHF+6
Jim Ryman,who is on the Community Service—Local Funding Committee, introduced Patricia Harmon, Executive Director of CornerHouse. Jim presented a $4,600 grant check from the Edina Rotary Foundation to CornerHouse. Patricia spoke to our group, thanking Edina Rotary Foundation for the grant, and mentioning Edina Rotarian Ed Padilla as a former board member for the organization. CornerHouse helps physically abused, sexually abused and those who have witnessed a violent crime. Some of the support CornerHouse provides is training for people under stress and family support services such as therapy and home visits. To date they have trained an impressive 30,000 people. The biggest service that is critically important comes from their forensic team. They provide the medical care and in-depth heath examinations, which their clients need.
Next Brad Hepp, a past president of our club, came up and introduced the newest member of our Rotary Club, Tom Cook. David Clynes is Tom’s sponsor. We learned that Tom's father was a past Rotarian in Florida, and was the past president and a Paul Harris Fellow, which has inspired Tom to get involved with Rotary. Tom is currently the Senior Priest of Saint Stevens Church in Edina. His classification will be Clergy.
Dan Hare introduced our speaker, Dirk McMahon with UnitedHealth Group. Dirk started out speaking about UHG’s mission statement, which guides their company. UnitedHealth Group’s mission is to help people live healthier lives and to help make the health system work better for everyone. They try to carry out their mission by concentrating on:
Enhancing the performance of the health system and improve the overall health and well-being of the people they serve within their communities.
Work with healthcare professionals and other key partners to expand access to quality health care so people get the care they need at an affordable price.
Support the physician/patient relationship and empower people with the information, guidance and tools they need to make personal health choices and decisions.
Dirk then spoke about UnitedHealth Care’s core values:
Integrity—honor commitments and never compromise ethics.
Compassion—walk in the shoes of people we serve and those with whom we work.
Relationships—build trust through collaboration.
Innovation (improvements & efficiencies)—invent the future, learn from the past.
Performance—demonstrate excellence in everything we do.
UHG’s corporate headquarters is in Minnetonka. They employ 13,000 individuals within the Twin Cities and a total of 16,000 individuals within the state of Minnesota. The corporation is a Fortune 15 company. The company believes in giving back and does so by sponsoring the Twin Cities Heart Walk, that took place at Target Field May 14. This year they raised a whopping $2,027,127. This is an annual walk, and UHG partners with the American Heart Association.
The corporation is divided into two sections—Heath Services and Health Benefits.
There are four subsidiaries of the Health Services division:
OptumHealth—this service is provided locally within four to five hospitals and covers 300 health plans.
OptumInsight—a subsidiary concentrating on the overall analytics within the organization. The goal is to help better decisions made within heathcare system.
Optum Care—focuses on health intervention and prevention by designing and implementing custom information technology systems, and offers management consulting in the healthcare industry nationwide.
OptumRX—focuses on pharmacy benefits and lowering medication costs. Optum recently bought Catamaran RX for $14 billion. The company is similar to express scripts and CVS. They bought this so they could better service their plan sponsors for pharmacy benefits.
In 2015, Optum bought Med Express. Med Express is similar to an urgent care that we have here in the midwest. They purchased 170 stores that were located in the mid-Atlantic states. They felt this was a good step as it was brining a retail feel to health care. The current average visit at one of these clinics is 55 minutes and performs 90 percent of the services that an ER would, but that is cost effective, faster and has a nicer atmosphere than a hospital.
The following is under Health Benefits:
UnitedHeath Group’s benefit company is called UnitedHeath Care. There are 320 million people in the United States and UHG wanted to concentrate on how to better service individuals and companies through benefits. They currently provide commercial insurance, work with Medicare Retirement Services, Medicaid and Tri-care. Tri-care is a division of UnitedHeath Care that focuses on helping veterans and their families.
Dirk also let us know that UnitedHealth Group recently created a company called Amil in Brazil. Amil is Brazil’s largest healthcare company, providing a wide range of medical and dental benefits, hospital and clinical services and advanced care management. Amil’s products and services range from free-choice comprehensive insurance coverage to more affordable products that cater to customers and consumers with a broad range of incomes and healthcare needs.
Dirk went on to say that out of the 320 million people living in the United States, 30 million people are not covered under the current Obama Care act.
UnitedHeath Group’s stresses the importance of partnering with doctor and nurses so they provide good data to their medical team and individuals hoping to optimize the healthcare practice. UnitedHeath Group strongly believes in the importance of technology. They spent $3 billion in technology last year. They processed 2 million claims in 2015. The money and technology has been invested in administrative, clinical efficiency and technology that helps individuals pick out their healthcare costs.
One of the programs that help individuals look at their healthcare coverage is called Link. Link helps providers talk and work better. An example is prior authorizations from doctors online. This helps with overall efficiencies and consumers. And ultimately, Link provides better outcomes and lowers costs.
Ross Peterson thanked Dirk. We donated an e-book to Edina High School in the speaker's honor.
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Renee Harberts as a member in October 2015. Renee's sponsor to the club was Ann Platt. Click on the link to get to know Renee...
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina in The Barker. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Renee Harberts as a member in October 2015. Renee's sponsor to the club was Ann Platt.
Name: Renee Harberts
Classification: Financial Planning
What was your first job? Secretary to the County Attorney
Who was your first role model and why? My Aunt Esther (who lived to be 94). She was genuine, smart, independent and loving. She had a way of making everyone she knew feel special. She was the special one.
Why did you want to join Rotary? It’s an efficient use of time. It’s a great way to meet new people, interact with business professionals, get involved in my community and give back all at the same time.
What do you like best about being part of the Rotary Club of Edina? The wide range of projects to get involved with.
What one piece of advice do you offer other business leaders? Be flexible. Be strong enough to bend. Palm trees survive hurricanes when other more stately tress don’t, because they can bend to ground.
Thanks for your involvement with the Rotary Club of Edina, Renee!
Dirk McMahon of UnitedHealth Group will be the program speaker at the Thursday, May 12 Rotary Club of Edina meeting. He will give an overview of UnitedHealth Group as his presentation.
McMahon currently serves as executive vice president and chief of Enterprise Operations for UnitedHealth Group. In this capacity, he ensures the operations of UnitedHealth Group, UnitedHealthcare and Optum are aligned to serve our customers. McMahon has responsibility for the operations, technology, network, clinical and integration functions. Previously, Dirk was chief executive officer for OptumRx, where he oversaw UnitedHealth Group’s pharmacy benefit management (PBM) company, including pharmacy network, mail service and specialty pharmacy services.
He joined UnitedHealthcare in 2003, holding various management positions in information technology, operations and finance. Prior to his current position, he served as president and CEO of UnitedHealthcare benefit operations. Before joining UnitedHealthcare, he was head of airport operations worldwide for Northwest Airlines for 19 years.
McMahon received a bachelor's degree in finance from Marist College and a master's in Business Administration (MBA) in finance from the University of Notre Dame. He serves on the board of directors for Bridging, a non-profit organization in Minneapolis that provides families and individuals transitioning out of homelessness and poverty with furniture and household goods to improve their lives.
New member Tom Cook will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dirk McMahon as program speaker at the Thursday, May 12, meeting. McMahon is the executive vice president and chief of Enterprise Operations for UnitedHealth Group. His presentation will be an overview of UnitedHealth Group, which is based in Minnetonka.
New member Tom Cook will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
Our May 5 meeting day was a beautiful, sunny and warm spring day. Club President Jennifer Bennerotte got us started with a warm and touching story from the Depression Era about Mayor LaGuardia of New York, in which he presided as judge over a case involving a widowed grandmother who stole a loaf of bread to feed her starving grandchildren. Jennifer told the story as an example of the meaning of the word “grace," and gave one definition as “When someone with superior power shows kindness and mercy to another."
Greeters were Steve Buettner, Val Burke and Toni Gerard. Jim Ryman handled front desk duty.
Dan Mott did a nice invocation based on a quote from Mother Teresa of Calcutta, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and Four-Way Test. Next we got a rousing rendition of the “Walleye” song done to the music of the “Rawhide” tune by Bill Lindberg from the Eagan Rotary Club in honor of the fishing opener on May 14.
After the “Walleye” song, Keith Benson made a presentation to the Majestic Hills Ranch of a donation in the amount of $3,000 from our Edina Rotary Foundation to pay for a riding rake for the ranch. We learned that the Majestic Hills Ranch conducts equine therapy for disabled and challenged children, as well as for injured military service members through a program called “Heroes on Horseback."
Next, John Buttolph introduced the guests. After John’s guest introductions, Meg Boehne gave her classification talk centered on her family, faith and career, all of which provided various means for her to pursue her substantial interest in helping poor women and children in Africa. Meg is now pursuing an encore career at Edina Realty and working harder than ever. She gave us one fun fact: that she had been given a student award by a Rotary Club exactly 39 years to the day before our May 5t club meeting, and she had the award along to prove it!
After Meg’s classification talk, Dave Hatzung, wearing some very snazzy Pippi Longstocking socks (really!), got up to introduce our speaker. Our speaker was Kelly Schuller from the Viracon Company located in Owatonna, Minnesota. Viracon, together with Harmon Glass, is owned by Apogee Enterprises, a publicly traded company. Kelly told us that Viracon was a world-class company “right in our back yard” that not a lot of people knew much about.
Viracon is the leading glass fabricator in the Americas, dealing only in the commercial building market, and providing the widest variety and highest quality window possible. Viracon does not actually make glass. Rather, it fabricates glass made by others, and customizes it using a variety of proprietary coatings. Viracon is currently approaching $400 million in revenue, and has approximately 2,200 employees worldwide, of which 1,500 are employed in Owatonna. The company works on approximately 500 commercial building projects per year involving some 50 million square feet of glass, and holds a 70 percent market share in the commercial building glass market. The company was founded in 1970 and its Owatonna facility is approximately 1.5 million square feet, soon expanding to approximately 2 million square feet. It is the second largest glass fabrication facility in the world (the biggest one is in China).
According to Kelly, Viracon’s success derives primarily from its proprietary glass coatings, unique manufacturing processes, very low defect rate, high on-time delivery rate (95 percent-plus), and by providing the best technical resources to architects. The company has participated in many premier projects in the Twin Cities metro as well as globally, including the Vikings stadium, One World Trade Center in NY, as well as major projects in Chile, Singapore and many other places.
Viracon will soon be able to handle “jumbo” sheets of glass measuring about 10 feet by 20 feet. Each and every sheet of glass sold by the company is shipped in its own custom made wooden crate. Lumber is the second largest raw material used by the company, after the glass itself.
Paul Peterson did a great job as the closer, and Jennifer reminded us to sign up for the District Conference on May 12 and 13, as well as the Fireside Chats, which are getting underway with the first one at Josh Sprague’s house May 11, then at Gordy Lewis’ house May 12, and then at John Flynn’s home May 17. Stay tuned for more Fireside Chats, which will be announced soon.
Jennifer closed the meeting with a quote from Caroline Myss emphasizing the importance of “grace” in our lives, and got us out into the warm sunny day at 1:30 p.m. sharp.
Rotarians Harold Hanson and Mike Kallas recently went on an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C., along with many other veterans from the Twin Cities area. Kallas accompanied his father, Mike Kallas, Sr., a veteran of World War II.
Honor Flight Network's mission is to transport America’s Veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit those memorials dedicated to honor the service and sacrifices of themselves and their friends. Honor Flight Network is a non-profit organization created solely to honor America’s veterans for all their sacrifices. According to the Honor Flight website, they transport our heroes to Washington, D.C., to visit and reflect at their memorials. Top priority is given to the senior veterans—World War II survivors, along with those other veterans who may be terminally ill.
Visit www.honorflight.org for more information. Thanks for sharing your photos, Mike!
Rotarians take part in Honor Flight to Washington, D.C.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Kelly Schuller as program speaker at the Thursday, May 5, meeting. Schuller is the president of Viracon, located in Owatonna, Minnesota. He will speak about "Architectural Glass Made in Minnesota for the Vikings Stadium (and Other Large Projects)."
New member Meg Boehne will give her classification talk at the meeting.
Helping out at the April 28 Rotary Club of Edina meeting were greeters Matt Boockmeier, Katie Smith and her son, Finnegan, Les Wanninger and Bjorn Freudenthal. Mark Jessen had front desk duty for the meeting, and Barbara Born and Marty Kupper checked in guests.
The meeting was called to order by Club President Jennifer Bennerotte at 12:30 p.m. Bill McReavy led us in the invocation, Pledge of Allegiance and Four-Way Test.
Jennifer then welcomed all our guests. Today was Prospective Member Day, so there were several guests who joined us.
Val Burke introduced two Edina High School students: Lars Redpath, a senior at EHS who will be attending St. Olaf next year; and Erica Rempert, a senior at EHS who also will be attending St. Olaf next year.
Rotarian Mike Sitek gave his classification talk. Mike is the oldest of six and grew up in Edina before embarking on a career that took him all over the country. He loves hockey and family and shared a picture of his large extended family and informed us that his dad has 22 great grandkids! He changed careers about nine years ago and now is a successful small business owner. Mike is very involved with both the Edina Chamber and Edina Rotary.
District Governor Tim Murphy introduced Molly Greene from Water Missions—a Christian engineering company that builds safe-water solutions and has provided over 3,000,000 people with safe water in developing countries.
Greg Hanks introduced our guest speaker, Rob Zeaske, CEO of Second Harvest Heartland. His presentation was called "Feeding Our Hungry Neighbors."
Zeaske has been CEO at Second Harvest since 2008. He has overall responsibility for leadership, planning and management of Second Harvest Heartland. Under his direction, the food bank has not only grown in size and scale, but also has earned a reputation as an innovator and national thought leader in hunger relief. His goal is turning hunger into hope. He shared with us that 1 in 10 Minnesotans are struggling with hunger and that 1 in 6 children are hungry. Rob told us we don’t have a supply problem—there is plenty of food available—he says we have a distribution problem. He has been working with a variety of food providers including grocery stores and even local farmers. It is important to address the lack of fresh food for many of these folks, but getting fresh food ready for distribution requires a different kind of logistics.
Rob applauded volunteers—sharing that over 140,000 hours are logged by them at the food shelf. Finally, Second Harvest is experimenting with bringing food or food options to where people are at. So they are working with hospitals and schools on information sharing.
Rob’s passion for his work was clearly witnessed by everyone present. Kip Peterson thanked Rob and Jennifer Bennerotte rang the bell to dismiss the group.
The Rotary Club of Edina will hold a Prospective Member Day Thursday, April 28. Rotarians are encouraged to bring friends or colleagues that are interested in learning more about Rotary and our club. Lunch is on the club for all prospective members April 28!
The program speaker at the meeting will be Rob Zeaske, CEO of Second Harvest Heartland. He will speak about "Feeding Our Hungry Neighbors."
Zeaske has been CEO since 2008. He has overall responsibility for leadership, planning and management of Second Harvest Heartland. Under his direction, the food bank has not only grown in size and scale, but also has earned a reputation as an innovator and national thought leader in hunger relief. Zeaske is helping change the conversation about hunger relief by bringing together partners from private and public organizations that have a stake in closing the missing meal gap.
He is a hopeful voice intent on finding more efficient and innovative ways to help neighbors in need.
“Of the many problems our community faces, hunger is one that we can solve,” he says. “There is more than enough food in the heartland to feed everyone. By constantly looking for new ways to work with each other and with our partners, we can help put that food on the table for hundreds of thousands of hungry families.”
Prior to joining Second Harvest Heartland, Zeaske led fundraising and government relations for Boston-based Jumpstart, which is nationally recognized for preparing schoolchildren for success, and served as a Harvard Business School Service Leadership Fellow for Mercy Corps. He holds an MBA from the Harvard Business School and a BA in political science from Stanford University.
Rotarian Mike Sitek will give his classification talk at the meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina is encouraging members to bring prospective members to the meeting Thursday, April 28. The program speaker at the meeting will be Rob Zeaske, CEO of Second Harvest Heartland. He will speak about "Feeding Our Hungry Neighbors." Rotarians should invite friends or colleagues that are interested in learning more about Rotary and our club. Lunch is on the club for all prospective members April 28! Contact Josh Sprague for more information.
Rotarian Mike Sitek will give his classification talk at the meeting.
The April 21 meeting was the ninth-annual Vocational Ethics Day and was sponsored not only by our Rotary Club, but also the following clubs: Bloomington Daymakers, Bloomington Noon, Eden Prairie AM, Eden Prairie Noon, Edina Morningside and Richfield.
The gathered were welcomed by John Crudele of the Eden Prairie AM Rotary Club. We were greeted by Brad Beard,new member Bjorn Freudenthal, and Mayor Jim Hovland from the Edina Morningside Rotary Club.Providing front desk administration were Marty Kupper and Deirdre Kvale, with help from Joel Jennings. Our Invocation was performed by Edina Rotarian Pastor Arthur Rouner.
Our guests included students from the following high schools: Bloomington Jefferson, Bloomington Kennedy, Eden Prairie, Edina and Richfield. Each school's presence was determined by a shout-out from the respective students. In addition we had the following guests:
Eden Prairie Superintendent Dr. Curt Tryggestad
Assistant Superintendent Josh Swanson
Jon Ortner
Andre Brewer
Mike Vacanti
Paul Nelson of EMRC made an announcement about Camp Enterprise, which will be Oct. 27 through 29. Camp E is an extensive three-day camp offering students the opportunity to participate in leadership activities focusing on the free enterprise system. For more information, see their website at www.campenterprise.org.
Jean Fox of the Richfield Rotary Club announced the Fight Back Project, which will be Tuesday, May 3, at the Richfield Middle School auditorium at 6:30 p.m. and is free. The Fight Back Project recounts the experience of Angela Champagne and her "Mission: To Educate & Empower Women & Children to Fight Back" against potential assaults. More information can be found on their website, http://thefightbackproject.weebly.com.
District Governor Tim Murphy announced the District 5950/5960 Joint Conference, which will be May 12 and 13 at Mystic Lake Conference Center. This year's theme is "Celebrate our Gifts to the World." More information can be found on the conference website at http://www.rotary5960.org/dc2016/.
The Edina Prairie AM Rotary Club sponsored Youth Exchange student Art Matanboon from Thailand, and he talked about his experience as an exchange student. He has had an incredible year and will take home some great memories and experiences.
Our keynote speaker, David Irvin, was introduced. David’s presentation was titled "Living Your Values, Taking Out the Grey Areas." David grew up in the Twin Cities, attended Cooper High School in New Hope and lives in Bloomington. He had a very successful professional, personal and community life, including coaching his children’s sports clubs.
As a human resources director he often had to make decision a person's employment based on bad decisions, including drug use. Dave proceeded to share how a decision during one of his birthday parties to try drugs lead to additional bad decisions, ultimately leading to his arrest and an end to his lifestyle. Though this decision had dire consequences, Dave took responsibility for these decisions. And though his life is different, his relationship with his wife, faith and perspective has grown from the experience.
His message is that though making a bad choice can seem insignificant, especially while drinking or having a good time, but a bad choice can alter the rest of your life.
He ended his presentation with this plea: “Put some thought about if you are ready to lose. What is important to you for bad decisions? Think about what you believe in and how you would like to have others think of you. And how valuable that is to you. And how a bad choice can put all that in jeopardy.”
Edina Noon Rotary President Jennifer Bennerotte thanked the speaker and adjourned the meeting.
President Jennifer Bennerotte started the meeting promptly at 12:33 p.m.
In our initial interaction with the current President (who, by all accounts, is not nearly as close to impeachment as those who have gone before her—Slyce, MacDonald, Hildreth, Hepp are a few who come to mind), she recognized one of the more visible aspects of Rotary’s contribution to a community: the Rotary Youth Exchange student. There is a need for three host families (Rotarian or others in community) to host each student during the 2016-2017 school year here in Edina. The two students who will be hosted represent the countries of Belgium and Chile. If you are interested or know of someone who is, please bring it to the attention of the Youth Exchange Committee, which is a combined committee of the Edina Morningside Rotary Club and our club. Mike Kallas, Terry Stevens and Sonja Tengdin represent the Noon club and they are always looking for new committee members.
Today you were greeted by Buzz Lightyear, Charlie Brown, and Stan Musial or it could have been Buzz Bainbridge, Charlie Barer and Stan Brown. It’s easy to get them all confused.
Mike Kallas assisted Jennifer Garske with the front desk, while no doubt billing some client for the hours he spent doing administrative work. The Invocation/Pledge/Four-Way Test were beautifully read by Sutton McGraw. Josh Sprague, who was in rare humor, introduced the guests ... so quickly that I couldn’t write them down fast enough. Oh yes, Matt Boockmeier wrote The Barker. Here is a list of the Rotarians and their guests at the meeting:
Kris Maser—Daniel Williams and Jared Schroeder, who are working to send water to the children of Flint, Michigan
Erick Ries—Rob Meany, a musician, singer, and friend of Erick's from college
Mike Kallas—Catherine Gump, wife of EMRC member Tom Gump and the current host family for our exchange student Jein Im
Mary Younggren—Nicole Mandershied from Red Health who was checking out Rotary
Wooj Byun—Brendan Azbill, a local realtor who is interested in joining Rotary
Bjorn Freudenthal—Pustelli CEO Mikko Juola and his wife, Anna, who are in town from Finland; Rich Lough, Pustelli CFO; Lisa Kroskin, the company’s chief designer
Royce Pavelka who was also celebrating his birthday (albeit with a smattering of acknowledgement by the membership, which is troublesome) — Kevin Standberg and Jake LeVoir
Jennifer Bennerotte—Beth Landers, director of development for Brookdale Senior Living
Wayne Harmon provided us an update regarding the Vocational Ethics Day meeting Thursday, April 21. Students from five high schools in Rotary District 5950 will be in attendance. The meeting will start at 11:30 a.m., so plan accordingly. Oh, and all the details were in the speaker/menu email that you received last week.
Sue Spalding made a number of presentations for contributions to The Rotary Foundation and thanked those members who have donated and were first-time Paul Harris Fellows, or achieving another PHF level. She was assisted by David Clynes. Those acknowledged include (left to right in photo):
Joe Arends—PHF+8
Steve Slyce—PHF+6
Heather Hansen—PHF+4
Ann Platt—PHF+4
Michael Stanzak—PHF+3
Joe Hayes—PHF +2
Kip Peterson—PHF+1
Kris Maser—PHF+3
Mike Sitek—our club's newest member of the Paul Harris Society
Bob Gubrud—PHF+2
As we are all now aware our good friend and fellow Rotarian Wally Houts recently passed away at the age of 88. A memorial service for Wally will be April 21. Please watch your email for updates on location and time.
Rotary Youth Exchange student Jein Im (shown in photo with District Governor Tim Murphy and her host mother Catherine Gump) gave us insight on her background and why she is so glad to have come to Minnesota. She is from Seoul, South Korea. Her dad is an electrical engineer and owns a small company, which her mom helps with. Since coming to Edina, she has worked hard to improve her English and see other cultures. She has done everything you are supposed to do in Minnesota—Grandview Resort (shameless plug for Cote family; Sam, please note The Barker writer this week); she attended the sweetheart dance at the high school; and participated in band where she played the flute. However, maybe the last memory she will take from being in Minnesota is fishing for walleye.
Libby Schmit gave her classification talk. She grew up in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, where she was member of the basketball team, as well as participating in the youth business group, DECA. The group undertook the task of raising money for the Salvation Army, which earned them a trip to the national competition. She enjoyed volunteering by reading to kids, and sees Rotary as a way of giving back to her community. She attended University of Wisconsin—Stout, while working full time and playing women’s rugby. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in marketing. It was also at Stout that she met her future husband. They are the parents of two kids, who after asking the club to answer a trivia question, were found to be tadpoles! Turns out Libby had natural water births and apparently if the kids are born this way they get a tadpole certificate!
Paul Mooty (and his “Leave it to Beaver” haircut) introduced program speaker Paul Peterson. Paul sponsored Paul, which sounds very biblical until you realize the only one who has the hair for it is Peterson. Paul M. lives in a van down by the river where he charges a small fee to watch him perform Ole and Lena jokes while knitting a sweater made of Irish sheep’s wool.
Paul Peterson, well, he is a real rock star in every sense of the word (just ask him, since this was his very humble line to open his presentation). He comes from the famous Peterson family of musicians. The people he has performed with, written songs for, and been sued by are simply too many too name (but ask Paul P.—he will gladly sit and tell you all of them). Clearly his most impressionable and where he got his start—that was with Prince when he was 17. He also appeared with the Prince and the Band in the movie "Purple Rain." Paul wore very tight pants during this time.
Paul went on to state that in his eyes, music is transformational. It will take us back and help lead us on a journey through our lives. Music is an equalizer or a way to even the playing field with no biases. Music can be polarizing. Chances are each and every member of this Rotary club likes a different kind of music! There might even be a few us are beginning to like the same type of music as our parents!
Paul holds many job titles, but those job titles each represent a revenue stream for what turns out is the very essence of self-employment! Why do so many things with respect to music? Well quite simply, you’re an entrepreneur. Most in the industry can’t make enough or sustain their career on performance alone, they must be creative in finding other means of creating revenue. Surprisingly, those who play in symphonies or orchestras are union and therefore create a higher base of income which gives them a big lead. Everyone else are working for every dollar they earn!
Becoming a musician requires an undying commitment to it, Paul said. You can’t question yourself because you will fail at times. You must embody the very definition of entrepreneur. There is no straight road when you are a musician. How do they make their living? There are so many ways to use your creative talent, but at the end of the day the pay is minimal and most range from working for free (to gain the experience or show what they have) to the writing the music and finding other means of recurring revenue—or in Paul’s words “mailbox money."
With the evolution of the digital age, the musician has created more and more revenue streams. Paul described the music industry as sticking their heads in the sand early on in this digital age, when it came to file and song sharing. Thankfully the industry has rebounded but there is a long way to go. He shared that the music recording industry used to be $40 billion a year and almost overnight it dropped to $20 billion. But it is slowly working back up. Paul asked for our support of musicians by buying songs and not sharing them because if no one is making money, they won’t make music and ultimately degrade the entire industry.
Paul has decided that it’s time to hit the road again and will be performing across the country with Peter Frampton. You can catch the show at the State Theater here in Minneapolis. Rotarian Jack Kennefick has purchased a block of tickets, so contact Jack or Ken Andersen if you are interested in buy tickets to the show. Either that or you could just email Paul and have him get you free tickets! (No, don’t do that!!)
Ann Platt thanked the speaker promptly at 1:28 p.m., which provided one more opportunity for our President to speak and she did so with eloquence and grace (which helped to stave off any calls for impeachment) with the following Peter Frampton quote:
"The longer you love, the longer you live, and the stronger you feel, the more you give."
The Rotary Bell was rung at 1:32:16 p.m. (She ran late, but let’s not dwell, OK?)
The annual Vocational Ethics Day meeting for all Area 3 Rotary clubs will be Thursday, April 21, at the Edina Country Club. This special meeting will begin at 11:30 a.m. and the keynote speaker will be David Irvin. His program is titled, "Living Your Values, Taking Out the Grey Areas." The meeting will conclude at 1:30 p.m.
Irvin is a Bloomington resident and has a compelling personal story to share.
All Area 3 Rotarians and any guests are welcome to attend. Special guests at the meeting will be students from area high schools, including Bloomington, Eden Prairie, Edina and Richfield.
Contact Rotarian Dan Hallberg for more information.
The annual Vocational Ethics Day meeting for all Area 3 Rotary clubs will be Thursday, April 21, at the Edina Country Club. This special meeting will begin at 11:30 a.m. and the keynote speaker will be David Irvin. His program is titled, "Living Your Values, Taking Out the Grey Areas." The meeting will conclude at 1:30 p.m.
All Area 3 Rotarians and any guests are welcome to attend. Contact Rotarian Dan Hallberg for more information.
The Rotary Club of Edina seeks nominees for the seventh-annual “Chrysanne Manoles Women In Leadership Award.”
In honor of the first female Rotarian in our club, Chrysanne Manoles, each year the Rotary Club of Edina celebrates the work of women in the community. To nominate a woman for the prestigious award, submit a one- or two-page letter explaining how the person demonstrates the Four-Way Test and what she does in the community. Letters should be sent to Rotary Club of Edina, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424 and must be postmarked by Friday, May 6. The award will be given out at the May 26 meeting.
Rotarian Paul Peterson will be the program speaker at the Thursday, April 14, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. He has been a member of our club since 2012. He will speak about "The Power of Music, the Business of Music." Peterson, a member of "Minnesota's First Family of Music," will begin touring nationally with Peter Frampton in May.
Some biography info from Peterson's website: Prince discovered Peterson, aka “St Paul,” at the age of 17. Prince enlisted him as a keyboard player in The Time for the movie “Purple Rain.”
Peterson took the lead vocalist spot in the Prince-produced group “The Family,” before becoming a solo artist and scoring hits for MCA and Atlantic Records.
He has recorded, toured or written with Steve Miller, Prince, George Benson, Oleta Adams, The Corrs, Kenny Loggins, and Morris Day and The Time to name a few.
His band, fDeluxe (formerly The Family) is celebrating the 30th anniversary of their Prince-produced record with a few select shows around the country.
When Peterson isn’t recording, he runs Peterson Music and Events, a music and event consulting service originally started by his father Willie Peterson back in the 1940s. He also has a 16-piece orchestra that plays at many of the top galas in the Minneapolis/St Paul area, appropriately titled the Paul Peterson Orchestra.
Also at the Rotary meeting, Libby Schmit will give her classification talk.
The Rotary Club of Edina meets at 12:15 p.m. Thursdays at the Edina Country Club. All are welcome. Cost for lunch and the program is $19 for adults and $12 for students.
Paul Peterson will be the April 14 program speaker
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Kenny Smith as a member in September 2015. Kenny's sponsor to the club was Joe Christensen. Click on the link to learn more about Kenny...
Mike Max, sports reporter and anchor for WCCO-TV and Radio, will speak to the Rotary Club of Edina at the Thursday, April 14, meeting.
Max returned to WCCO-TV as a sports reporter and anchor in April 2005, having joined WCCO Radio in 1998. He is no stranger to Minnesota sports. He hosts “Sports To The Max” every weeknight from 7 to 9 p.m. on WCCO Radio. Prior to hosting the radio show, Max hosted Sports Connection on the Midwest Sports Channel.
Max started his career as an intern at WCCO-TV. He was hired as a sports producer and soon began reporting for WCCO-TV.
A true Minnesotan, Max grew up in Gaylord, Minnesota and played football, basketball and baseball. He attended Hamline University and furthered his talents on the court and on the diamond, playing basketball and baseball for the Pipers.
In his spare time, Max enjoys working out, hunting and spending time with his wife, daughter and son.
Libby Schmit will give her classification talk at the meeting.
WCCO's Mike Max will speak at April 14 Rotary meeting
Jennifer Bennerotte opened the meeting promptly at 12:32 p.m. Jennifer also announced some Edina Rotary anniversaries including Frank Cardarelle, who joined Edina Rotary in 1957 and was President of the club in 1969. Frank also distributed The Barker from 1969, which was signed by Hubert H. Humphrey when he spoke at Edina Rotary that year.
Melinda Inman helped at the front desk at the meeting, and we were greeted by Tom Bach, Toni Gerard and Stan Brown.
Luther Amundson provided an inspiring innovation, the pledge and Rotary’s Four-Way Test. Jennifer Bennerotte also introduced many guests including:
John Shevlin, guest of Brad Hepp
Don Johnson, guest of Marty Kupper
Marco Pavoloni, guest of Royce Pavelka
Kevin Stranberg, guest of Royce Pavelka
Brandon Azbill, guest of David Clynes
David Swan, guest of Ann Platt
Ian Colville, guest of Josh Sprague
Andrea Miller, guest of Josh Sprague
Youth Exchange student Jein Im, guest of Deirdre Kvale
Ann MacDonald, guest and wife of Scott MacDonald
Lois Cardarelle, guest and wife of Frank Cardarelle
Kay and Bill McReavy, parents and guests of Bill McReavy
Cynd McReavy-Seitz, sister and guest of Bill McReavy
Bill Milota, a member of the Community Service—Local Funding Committee, presented a check for $1,200 to Deb Sholl and Judy Mulvey from the Assistance League of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Deb explained the importance of Edina Rotary’s gift to the Assistance League, as it will be used to provide survival kits (clothes and personal accessories) for abuse victims in hospitals throughout Minnesota.
John Flynn announced that there was still time to sign up for the District Conference, which will be at Mystic Lake Conference Center May 12 and 13. There will be a golf event, dinner and reception on Thursday, followed by a full day of speakers, meetings and networking with fellow Rotarians on Friday, followed by a dinner event. This conference is especially meaningful for our club, as Tim Murphy has served as District 5950 Governor this year.
Tina Sletten, a Youth Exchange student from Norway, discussed her home in Tendsberry, Norway, including her family and experiences in Norway. She observed that life at Edina High School has been a great experience and that it was just the way she had thought it would be from the movies she had seen.
Lisa Walker gave her classification speech as a Residential Mortgage Lender. Lisa said that she had been an Edina resident for 18 years and prior to Edina, was a resident of New York and Florida. She earned a doctorate degree from Washington University in St. Louis. Lisa also belongs to the Junior League of Minneapolis and volunteers for the Northside Achievement Zone in Minneapolis.
Bill McReavy introduced the program speakers for the meeting. Randy Handel, the Associate Athletic Director of Development at the University of Minnesota, and Chris Werle, the Senior Associate Director of Strategic Communications, ably substituted for Beth Goetz, the Interim Athletic Director at the U of M who was ill and unable to attend. Randy discussed the new $166 million Athletics Village being built at the University, which would serve all 725 student athletes. He also mentioned that the University continues to emphasize the importance of education with the student athletes and that their graduate rate was 88 percent.
Chris discussed his prime responsibility as to develop student athletes. The difficulty the student athlete faces in time management has been a key concern of his, with student athletes juggling studies with practice, games, travel and sometimes part-time jobs. He discussed that although the media has focused on the disappointments in U of M sports, he pointed out that they had won the Division 1 Women’s Hockey Championship two of the past three years, then finished second in the Women’s Division 1 Volleyball Championship. Also, the U of M ranked high in the Directors Cup out of all of the Division 1 colleges in the United States.
Gary Pedersen thanked the speakers and Jennifer Bennerotte closed the meeting with a thought she had written when Beth Goetz was the planned speaker. The quote was from former vice presidential candidate Geraldine Ferrero, “Some leaders are born women."
Beth Goetz, Interim Director of Athletics at the University of Minnesota, will be the program speaker at the Thursday, April 7, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Goetz was named interim director in August 2015.
Rotarian Lisa Walker will give her classification talk at the meeting.
Jennifer Bennerotte opened the meeting at 12:36 p.m. with a resounding ring on the Edina Rotary Bell. Scott MacDonald followed with an inspiring invocation, the Pledge and the Four-Way Test. Bob Solheim introduced our five guests including: Mark Dascolas, Abby Hafner, Beth Landers, Dalton Crum and Hunter Stanek, along with our three visiting Rotarians: Bill Kuhlman, Mary Ann Heine, both from Minneapolis #9, and Ryan Murphy, Eagan Rotary and Tim Murphy's son. Probably the best-looking guests and visiting Rotarians in some time for our club.
Happy Birthday wishes were given to Jennifer Bennerotte(pcitured accepting her birthday flowers from Bob Solheim and Marty Kupper at the meeting) and she was able to hear the Edina Rotary faithful sing off-tune.
Jim Ryman, a member of the Community Service–Local Funding Committee, then introduced Abby Hafner of Edina Give & Go and Dick Crockett, Edina Morningside Rotary Club member and executive director of the Edina Community Foundation. Edina Give & Go provides resources for economically disadvantaged children. The Edina Rotary Foundation grant of $2,650 will go the Access Program, which will assist 50 students to prepare for the ACT test and with post-secondary college planning. Abby and Dick graciously accepted the gift from our foundation.
Hugh Hadlund and Lisa Walker announced the date for one of the Rotary’s favorite summer events—the Rotary Family Picnic Tuesday, June 14, at Bryant Lake Park in Eden Prairie. There will be a planning meeting Thursday, April 7, at 5 p.m. at Bunny’s in St. Louis Park. Please come and join this committee. See you on April 7!
Rotarian David Aase gave his classification talk, and shared his reasons for joining Rotary with the group: to serve others, to live in gratitude, give back to the community and create new friendships. In addition, David shared the two most influential books he has read—Rich Dad, Poor Dad and 4-Hour Work Week.
Steve Buettner had the honor of introducing his brother, Tony Buettner, our program speaker who shared his research on the Blue Zones. Tony is the organizational leader at Blue Zones and he shared several concepts relating to the Secrets of a Long Life.
Move Naturally: The world’s longest-lived people don’t pump iron or run marathons. Instead, their environments nudge them into moving without thinking about it.
Purpose: Why do you wake up in the morning? Knowing your sense of purpose is worth up to seven years of extra life expectancy.
Down Shift: Stress leads to chronic inflammation, associated with every major-age related disease. The world’s longest lived people have routines to shed that stress.
Eighty Percent Rule: “Hara hachi bu,” the Okinawans say this mantra before meals as a reminder to stop eating when their stomachs are 80 percent full.
Plant Slant: The cornerstone of most centenarians' diets? Beans, they typically eat meat, mostly pork, only five times per month.
Wine @ 5: Moderate drinkers outlive non-drinkers, especially if they share those drinks with friends.
Belong: Attending faith-based services four times per month, no matter the denomination, adds 14 years of life expectancy
Loved Ones First: Centenarians put their families first. They keep aging parents and grandparents nearby, commit to a life partner and invest in their children.
Right Tribe: The world’s longest lived people choose or are born into social circles that choose healthy behaviors.
The results of living in a Blue Zone include: increased well being, decreased healthcare costs, increased productivity, decreased tobacco use, decreased obesity, increased economic vitality, increased physical activity and increased consumption of fruits and vegetables.
Brad Pearson thanked Tony for an outstanding presentation, both inspirational and educational. Jennifer Bennerotte closed the meeting with a wonderful example of service above self and being a gift to the world by sharing a touching story about Brad Pearson providing exemplary service and compassion to a patient in the hospital. A great finish to a great meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Tony Buettner as the program speaker at the Thursday, March 31, meeting. Buettner is an organizational leader at Blue Zones, which puts the learnings of the world's longest-lived people to work in people's lives, families and communities. The title of Buettner's presentation is "Blues Zones: Secrets of a Long Life." Tony Buettner is the brother of Edina Rotarian Steve Buettner.
Rotarian David Aase will give his classification talk at the meeting.
Just think! Only 358 more days until next St. Patrick’s Day. It’s one celebration where they leave all the pepper shakers on the table, unlike one we had in the recent past.
Promptly at 12:37 p.m., our esteemed president, JennBenn, gaveled the meeting to order. Shelly Loberg followed with a very thoughtful invocation, and then the Pledge and Four-Way Test, before John Solberg introduced our guests and visiting Rotarians. We only had one visiting Rotarian, Bill Lindberg, from the Eagan club, but he happened to have played for Coach Ikola, so he had a connection to the program (and is an Edina resident). We also had six guests—Dave Terwilliger, Bruce Meyer, Ian Colville, Melissa Diamond, Casey Heyer, Susie Miller, in addition to Tina Sletten, our Rotary exchange student from Norway. It was nice to have them all with us.
Joe Arends then introduced Nancy Alexander from Hearts & Hands of Minnesota, a non-profit from St. Louis Park that supports low-income families that have children with life-threatening conditions. She was the first of 10 groups that will receive checks from the Edina Rotary Foundation (remember last fall’s fundraiser?) in the next few weeks.
Past President Jeff Ohe then led the rubber-stamp confirmation of Greg Yoch to be the next Membership-Recruitment Director for the Rotary year beginning in July. Paul Peterson was supposed to fill that slot but evidently he’s going on tour with Peter Frampton so he had to withdraw.
Another Past President Jon Barnett then presented San and Sheila Asato with thanks and hardware for becoming our latest Major Donors to The Rotary Foundation. We have over 30 of those in our club!
Skip Thomas began a cascade of introductions by calling on Bruce Carlson, a fellow hockey player at EHS, and board member of the Edina Historical Society who was instrumental in organizing the exhibit on the history of hockey in Edina that is currently at their museum at Arneson Acres. Bruce, in turn, introduced Jim Hoey, a former hockey player from The Range, retired teacher in the Shakopee and Farmington school systems and author, who has written a new book, “Ike: Minnesota Hockey Legend,” about longtime Edina hockey coach, Willard Ikola.
Coach Ikola then took the podium and told a lot of interesting and amusing anecdotes about his experience coaching hockey in Edina. It seems that after growing upon the Range, playing hockey at the “U” for John Mariucci, being on the ’56 Olympic hockey team in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy (also with Mariucci), he found that being in the U.S. Air Force wasn’t what he wanted to do—he wanted to coach hockey. In October 1958 he got a call from Edina about an open coaching/teaching position and an invitation for an interview. Somehow he got off active duty and made it to the interview in a week, and took a long-term substitute position, but at least it was coaching. Unlike today, there was no indoor rink. For the next seven years he was “fighting the elements.” Whether it was thin or no ice, snow, slush, wind or early morning practice times, it was a struggle until Braemar opened in 1965.
All in all, it was a very entertaining and informative talk. I’d encourage you to watch the video either on Comcast cable or on our YouTube channel.
It was a fine St. Patrick’s Day meeting of the Killarney Lakes Rotary Club. Our President, Jennifer Bennerotte proceeded to explain how and why Edina got it’s name in 1888. Names such as Hennepin Park, Westfield and Edina were being considered. The choice was narrowed to Westfield vs. Edina and eventually the name Edina was chosen with a 47–42 vote.
President Bennerotte thanked the greeters, Chuck Agan, Luther Amundson and Meg Boehne. She also thanked Peter Hoffman for helping our extraordinary Club Administrator Jennifer Garske with the front desk duties. Jennifer went on to thank Gordy Lewis for giving the invocation and leading us in the Pledge of Allegiance and the Four-Way Test.
Steve Slyce introduced visiting Rotarians, including Susan Brott from the Edina Morningside Rotary Club and Paul Mork from the Golden Valley Rotary Club. Steve also had David Clynes introduce his visitor, Thomas Cook, approved earlier in the day by the board for membership in the No. 1 Club in the Universe; and Bill McReavy introduce his guest, John Shevlin.
Steve Buettner introduced our two impressive student guests from Edina High School, Natalie Haven and Sam Thomas. Natalie has played volleyball at Edina for the past five years and has been the captain of the team for the past two. She will be attending Purdue University and playing volleyball there as she studies to become an engineer. Sam has been the captain of the Cross Country and Track teams at Edina. He will be attending Davidson College in North Carolina and plans to be a high school teacher.
Brad Hepp and Steve Slyce officially inducted new members Toni Gerard and Bjorn Freudenthal into the No. 1 Club in the Universe. Toni is personal banker and Bjorn is a design/builder. They are both wonderful additions to the club and we are looking forward to their classification talks.
Sam Cote introduced our speaker, Dr. Ric Dressen. Ric is the Superintendent of Edina Schools. Ric is a native Minnesotan. He graduated from Bemidji State University and received his doctorate from the University of Minnesota.
Ric serves over 8,500 students and over 1,200 staff members in the Edina School District. He has the opportunity and responsibility to deploy the $124.9 million dollars approved by last year’s May 15 bond referendum vote.
Five grade schools, two middle schools and the high school will undergo huge changes in the next two-and-a-half years. Many of the schools will be enlarged and all of the buildings will be entirely remodeled. Much of the money will go toward classroom changes and more common space and “breakout rooms” at all grade levels. Ric referred to the classroom environment as more “Starbucks like” in nature.
The “Next Generation” program Ric described focuses on being one step ahead of the national trends in education. The program starts before kindergarten and continues beyond high school graduation. Many of the dollars approved will promote the upcoming needs of education as the trends change from traditional academics to identifying the students' strengths early, and providing them the opportunity to grow those skills.
Large portions of the funding will go toward vastly improved sporting facilities. There are two new turf fields and a 2,400-seat gymnasium scheduled for the high school campus. More and improved parking and substantial rework of the campus’ building facades and common areas is also planned. Bidding is under way for the summer 2016 construction and the last phase of construction is scheduled for the fall 2017.
Edina Schools are ranked 71st nationally, with a 96.7 percent graduation rate. The school district is very competitive and Ric’s delivery shows that the district will be ready to stand among the best for a long time.
Jack Kennefick thanked the speaker and Jennifer closed the meeting promptly at 1:30 p.m. with an Irish blessing: “May the roof above us never fall in and may we friends gathered below never fall out.”
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome two program speakers at the Thursday, March 24, meeting. Author Jim Hoey and longtime Edina High School boys' hockey coach Willard Ikola will speak about their joint effort in writing Ike: Minnesota Hockey Legend about Ikola's legendary career as EHS hockey coach from 1958 to 1991.
Author Jim Hoey and Edina High School hockey coaching legend Willard Ikola will be program speakers at the Thursday, March 24, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. They will speak about collaborating on the book, "Ike: Minnesota Hockey Icon."
Hoey, a retired teacher, played hockey at Greenway High before becoming a captain at St. Mary's University in Winona. He has also written three other books (Minnesota Twins Trivia, Minnesota Vikings Trivia, and Puck Heaven, a history of the Minnesota State Boys Hockey Tournament.
Willard Ikola, of course, had a legendary 33-year career here at Edina and Edina-East high schools, and led the Hornets to eight state titles and 19 tournament appearances. Ike grew up in Eveleth, Minnesota, and won three state titles as an outstanding goalie for Cliff Thompson's Golden Bears. In college, he backstopped the Michigan Wolverines to two NCAA titles. While in the U.S. Air Force, Ikola played on two U.S. National teams and was named the top goaltender in the 1956 Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.
Author Jim Hoey and Edina hockey coaching legend Willard Ikola to speak at March 24 meeting
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina in The Barker. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Kenny Smith as a member in September 2015. Kenny's sponsor to the club was Joe Christensen Here is more about Kenny:
Name: Kenny Smith
Classification: Attorney
What was your first job?Edina Sun-Current delivery boy
Who was your first role model and why? It would have to be my dad. He always had time for our family and he played a very active role in our lives growing up. He also taught us how to work smart, leading by example as a hard-working and successful entrepreneur.
Why did you want to join Rotary? I recently moved back to the area and started a new job so I wanted to get active right away and get to know my fellow community members. I’m also a former Rotarian from a different club and had great experiences with it.
What do you like best about being part of the Rotary Club of Edina? It’s been so easy to meet different people and I’ve felt welcomed from the first day I visited the club. I’ve been impressed with how proactive the members are of getting to know the guests and new members and making them feel at home.
What one piece of advice do you offer other business leaders? Trust yourself, you know more than you think you do.
We are happy to have you as part of the No. 1 Club in the Universe, Kenny!
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. Our club welcomed Mike Sitek as a member in July 2015. Mike's classification is Handyman Services and his sponsor to the club was Ann Platt. Click on the link to learn more about Mike...
Rotarians were descending on Southdale Center Thursday, March 10, at noon. No, they weren’t on a shopping spree—it was Vocational Day at Z Italiano, a new full-service, casual, Italianesque restaurant just down the hall from Southdale AMC Theater's box office. It has replaced the old California Pizza Kitchen.
We were greeted by Dave Hatzung and Mary Younggren as we walked into the restaurant. Mike Sitek helped with check-in. Everyone was invited to sit in a booth. I had the pleasure of sitting with Bill McReavy, Mike Hagen and Wade Thommen. Our table had salads and we could see that some members were enjoying pasta.
After lunch, Jennifer Bennerotte called the meeting to order. She started the meeting off with a baby guessing game. The correct guesses were Sam Thompson, Patti Ellingson-Solheim, Ken Andersen, Sue Spalding, Paul Peterson, Tim Murphy, Jennifer Garske and Natalie Olive Eidsness, newborn of Kyle and Kaylin Eidsness. Ann Platt was the most mentioned wrong guess for the girl babies.
Marty Kupper was recognized for organizing a very successful event. George Lancaster led the prayer, Pledge of Allegiance and the Four-Way Test. Hugh Hadlund introduced the guests. Greg Yoch asked for volunteers for VEAP to pack food for kids. Sue Spalding made her plea for donations to The Rotary Foundation. She said she will be calling everyone—be ready!
Zach Saueressig, the owner and operator of Z Italiano, then talked about his career and how he got to this point of owning his own restaurant. Zach is from Fargo, has three daughters and lives in Chaska. He has worked in restaurants all of his life. He started working in Shakey’s Pizza when he was in his teens. He then worked at Godfather’s Pizza. From there he opened up Green Mill in Fargo and became the general manager. This is when he decided that this was what he wanted to do with his career. He moved to manage Granite City in St. Cloud where he learned the fundamentals of the business.
Zach got his break from Parasole Restaurants when he became the manager of Salut Bar Americain in Edina. This is where he learned about building brands. He joined the Edina Chamber of Commerce and loved getting involved in the community. He also did a fundraiser for the Smile Network. His philosophy is:
Get open
Stay open
Make money
He then got a call from Ben Martin (member of the Edina Morningside Rotary Club) from Southdale asking him if he would open a pasta and pizza restaurant at the mall. He wrote a business plan and finally got a bank to believe in his plan. He got feedback from customers that they felt he should personalize the restaurant. He has accomplished that by putting up pictures of his family. He is proud that this is a family-owned business not a chain. He believes that personal connections are key to being successful. He finished his talk by stating that Z Italiano is his American dream.
Mike Opitz thanked the speaker and told him that Rotary would donate a book to Edina schools in his honor. Jennifer then closed the meeting.
The question I have, “Did everyone go shopping at the mall after lunch?”
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Edina Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Ric Dressen as program speaker at the Thursday, March 17, meeting. He will speak about "Next Generation Facilities for our Learners of Today and Tomorrow."
New members Bjorn Freudenthal and Toni Gerard will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
Interact Club of Edina Forms at Edina High School Edina, Minnesota, March 2, 2016 — The Interact Club of Edina has been chartered at Edina High School. The Rotary Clubs of Edina and Edina Morningside celebrated the milestone with the Interactors at a special event on Feb. 23, the 111th anniversary of Rotary International.
Our meeting began with President Jennifer Bennerotte relaying a story concerning her son Evan. Jennifer learned from one of the lunch ladies at school that Evan has shown his own example of “service above self,” and has done it without seeking credit or praise—a real-life example of how Rotary’s service above self has helped to make our community and world a better place.
Greeters at today’s meeting were Greg Yoch, Meg Boehne and Thom Winninger. Dan Hennen helped Jennifer Garske at the front desk. Deirdre Kvale gave an invocation that reminded us of the inspirational life of Jack Jablonski, who is now studying at USC.
Colleen Simpson introduced the following members and their guests:
Leann Stessman introduced guest Jack Atnip, III
Royce Pavelka introduced guest Marko Pavoloni
John Mazzara introduced guest Nate Phillips
Dan Hennen introduced guest Bruce Gebbie
Additionally, we were joined by two guests of our speaker, Michelle Swanson and Sara Barrow.
Greg Yoch gave a classification talk. Greg talked about living in seven different states, including Minnesota, Massachusetts, New York, Illinois, Connecticut, California and Colorado. Greg spoke of a varied career, starting with undergraduate degrees in Economics and Political Science and a graduate degree in Marketing and Finance. He worked in banking and consulting and worked with Clorox in consumer packaged goods. Greg is currently working with about 30 other employees, including fellow Rotarians Gary Pedersen and his father, Ted Yoch, in a business known as Murals Your Way. Greg and his wife and daughter live in Edina. Greg is a terrific addition to our club.
Gordy Lewis introduced our speaker—Chris Clark. Mr. Clark is the president of Northern States Power Company—Minnesota, an Xcel Energy Company (NSP). Mr. Clark provided information concerning NSP, indicating that it is the largest utility company in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. It has operations in Michigan, Colorado, Texas and New Mexico. Additionally, we learned that NSP is the number one provider of wind energy and a leader in solar power, transmission lines, carbon reduction and storm response. (In fact, their storm response in New Mexico was so impressive that lawmakers there wanted to understand how they were able to get out into the community and reconnect power before the emergency responders could get out onto the streets.)
Mr. Clark described the changing economics and the changing customer expectations and how those have affected the company’s operations. Further, he described a five-year resource plan involving the closure of two coal plants and the increase in wind and solar resources and the adding a natural gas facility.
Regarding nuclear energy, Mr. Clark stated that he generally receives mixed reviews from people about nuclear power. On the other hand, he likes it and believes it is an important ingredient to the diverse composition of power resources utilized by NSP.
Looking into a crystal ball, Mr. Clark sees electric cars having increased importance. (However, he acknowledges that the low price of gasoline has dampened the necessary research and development.) He also sees battery storage as an evolving technology, along with solar power and “smart technologies.”
Following the presentation and questions from the audience, Royce Pavelka thanked our speaker and our meeting concluded with PresidentJennifer Bennerotte quoting Maya Angelou: “Talent is like electricity. We don’t understand electricity. We use it.”
Edina, Minnesota, Feb. 2, 2016 — The Edina Rotary Foundation Board of Directors in January approved
more than $15,000 in local grants.
The Edina Rotary Foundation awarded the following grants:
• Edina Police Department – $4,199 for forensics software.
• Cornerstone – $2,406 for three computers and printer for use by residents of the shelter.
• Fraser – $4,000 for tablets and software to improve communications between staff and parents.
• Majestic Hills Ranch – $3,000 for an arena groomer. The organization serves veterans in
Hennepin County with equine-assisted rehab.
• Edina Give & Go – $3,000 for two computers and ACT test kits for the Access Media Department
at Edina High School.
The board looked at more grants in February, and information will be forthcoming.
For more information, contact Director of Community Service—Local Funding Keith Benson.
The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Shelly Loberg as a member in May 2015. Shelly's classification is Tourism, and her sponsor to the club was Brad Hepp. We highlight newer members of our club on the website periodically. Click on the link to learn more about Shelly.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Christopher B. Clark as program speaker at the Thursday, March 3, meeting. Clark is the president of Northern States Power Company—Minnesota, an Xcel Energy company. He will speak about "Xcel Energy's Vision of the Future."
Before becoming president of Northern States Power Company — Minnesota, Clark was Regional vice president of Rates and Regulatory Affairs — Minnesota. He was responsible for Xcel Energy’s regulatory filings with the utility commissions in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota, including rate, resource acquisition and service quality filings. Clark joined Xcel Energy in 1999 as a senior attorney. He was later appointed managing attorney, Northern States Power Company — Minnesota, an Xcel Energy company, with responsibility for the company’s state public utility law and power purchase agreement issues for operations in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Clark represented Xcel Energy in regulatory proceedings before the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission and handled most issues related to rate cases, renewable energy and long-term power purchase projects and supported retail product and programs, including conservation improvement programs. He has more than 20 years of experience in energy and regulation.
Clark serves on the board of directors for the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and People Serving People.
Prior to joining Xcel Energy, he worked as an in-house attorney for Alliant Energy, appearing for that company before public utility commissions in Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois and Wisconsin. Clark received his Bachelor of Arts degree in history and political science from the University of Iowa and earned his law degree from Drake University.
The annual joint meeting for the two Edina Rotary clubs, hosted in the late winter/early spring by Edina Morningside Rotary Club, will be at 7:30 a.m. this Tuesday, Feb. 23, at the Edina Country Club. The program speaker for the meeting will be recently retired Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Alan Page. Please attend this joint meeting and make connections with our sister Rotary club!
There is no Rotary Club of Edina on Thursday, Feb. 25, because of the joint meeting earlier in the week.
The Rotary Club of Edina had a fun evening out Jan. 30 when members and guests met at Park Tavern in St. Louis Park for the annual Bowling Night! The event was organized by Mark Jessen, and many members donated to the event in the form of door prizes and bowling trophies. Click on the link to see the list of sponsors.
The next Rotary social event will be a French Cooking Class at Cooks of Crocus Hill in Edina on April 2. Online registration for the event is closed. If you are interested in attending the cooking class but have not yet registered, go to the Cooks of Crocus Hill website, www.cooksofcrocushill.com, and you can register there if there are still spots open. Please contact the Cooks of Crocus Hill if you have trouble registering.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome author Stephen Yoch as the program speaker at the Thursday, Feb. 18, meeting. Yoch's book, "Becoming George Washington," was released in September 2015. He is the son of longtime Edina Rotarian Ted Yoch, as well as the brother of Rotarian Greg Yoch, who will introduce the program.
New member Meg Boehne will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
The Rotary Clubs of Edina and Edina Morningside will host a charter night for the new Interact Club of Edina from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23. Charter Night will be held at the Edina Country Club. Appetizers will be served before a short program featuring speaker John Crudele and presentation of the club’s charter.
Find out more on the event page on our website. Online registration has ended. If you are interested in attending, please contact President Jennifer Bennerotte.
Edina, Minnesota, Feb. 2, 2015 - The Interact Club of Edina and its community partners will host a "Skate to End Polio: 5 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13 at Braemar Arena.
The fundraiser will follow the varsity boys' game between Edina and Eden Prairie in the west rink of the arena, 5701 Ikola Way. Participants will enjoy open skating, great music and special lighting at this Valntines day weekend event.
Tickets cost $20 for adults and $10 for children. they can be purchased the day of he event or in advance by contacting Rotarian Josh Sprague, josh@joshsprague.com. Tickets will also be availble at the Feb. 4 and 11 meetings of the Rotary Club of Edina.
All proceeeds will go towards Rotary's End Polio Now campaign, which began in 1985 and has raised more than $1.3 billion toward the elimination of this deadly and crippling childhook disease. As of 1985, polio affected 350,000 people in 125 countries. As of 2015, polio had been 99 percent elminated, with less than 100 cases in only two countries.
District Governor Tim Murphy, a member of the Rotary Club of Edina, will be the program speaker at the Thursday, Feb. 11, meeting. He will speak about "What Does a Great Rotary Club Look Like?" Tim was president of the Rotary Club of Edina from 2006–2007. He took over as Rotary District 5950 Governor in July 2015, and will serve through June 2016.
Hugh Hadlund will give his classification talk at the meeting.
Rotary Club of Edina meets at 12:15 p.m. Thursdays at the Edina Country Club. All are welcome. Cost for lunch and the program is $19 for adults and $12 for kids.
Give to Rotary—the Edina Rotary Foundation and The Rotary Foundation. What's the difference?
I know...it can be confusing. With Rotary, there are two ways to give and to support Rotary projects and our club encourages both.
Sue Spalding, our club's The Rotary Foundation director for 2015–2017, explains the difference between the two foundations, and how through your donations, Rotary funds projects both at home and across the world.
The Interact Club of Edina High School, along with other community groups, is planning a "Skate to End Polio" from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, at the West Rink of Braemar Arena. Enjoy open skating with friends and family, along with great music and special lighting just for this Valentine’s day event. All proceeds go to Rotary's campaign to eradicate polio.
All ages are welcome! Tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for kids, and can be bought the day of the event, or in advance by contacting Edina Rotarian Josh Sprague at josh@joshsprague.com.
Edina Rotarians can purchase tickets for the event at the Thursday meeting, Feb. 11, from Interact members who will be in attendance. Bring cash to buy tickets to help support this event!
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome James Eli Shiffer as program speaker at the Thursday, Feb. 4, meeting. Shiffer has worked at the Star Tribune since 2005, both as an editor and reporter. He will speak about "Journey to the Dark Web: Free Speech Zone or Criminal Hideout?"
New member Stan Brown will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Steve Winnick as the program speaker at the Thursday, Jan. 21, meeting. Feige, a longtime member of the Edina Human Rights and Relations Commission, is working to move Edina to become a Human Rights City.
New member Lisa Walker will be inducted into the club at the meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina meets at 12:15 p.m. Thursday at the Edina Country Club. All are welcome. Cost for lunch and the program is $19 for adults, $12 for children.
The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Luther Amundson as a member last January. Luther's classification is Attorney, and his sponsor to the club was Kris Maser. We highlight newer members of our club on the website periodically. Click on the link to learn more about Luther.
The Rotary Club of Edina is proud to announce that Chrysanne Manoles has rejoined our club as an Honorary member earlier this year. Chrysanne's classification is Marketing Consultant, and her sponsor to the club originally was Jim Hogg. Chrysanne was the first female Rotarian in the Rotary Club of Edina. She first joined the club May 1, 1988, and rejoined as an Honorary member June 18, 2015.
The next regular Rotary Club of Edina meeting will be Thursday, Jan. 7. Kathryn Nordberg of Erik's Ranch & Retreats will be the program speaker at the first meeting of 2016. She will speak about "Erik's Ranch & Retreats: A First-of-Its-Kind Living and Working Model for Young Adults with Autism." Erik's Retreat in Edina is the Signature Project for the Rotary Club of Edina in the 2015–2016 Rotary year.
The Rotary Club of Edina is proud to announce that Libby Schmit became a member of our Club earlier this year. Libby's classification is Metal Recycling, and her sponsor to the Club was Brad Hepp. Libby joined the Club June 11, 2015.
The Rotary Club of Edina is proud to announce that Rob Gadtke became a member of our Club earlier this year. Rob's classification is Divorce Attorney, and his sponsor to the Club was Jeff Ohe. Rob joined the Club April 9, 2015.
The program speaker for the Thursday, Dec. 10, Rotary Club of Edina meeting will be Keith Nelsen. He is the executive vice president and general counsel for Best Buy.
New member Renee Harberts will be officially inducted into the club at the Dec. 10 meeting.
This will be the last Rotary Club of Edina meeting of 2015. Next week there is no regular noon meeting, but the Holiday Party will be from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Edina Country Club. There are no meetings Dec. 24 or 31 due to the holidays.
Once again in December, the Rotary Club of Edina will be collecting gifts to donate to families in need this holiday season. Rotarian Jean Morrison will be accepting gifts for children of any age, as well as gifts for moms, dads and families, as part of the Rotary Holiday Giving Program. You have one last chance to bring unwrapped holiday gifts, gift cards or cash donations to the Rotary Club of Edina Holiday Party Dec. 17.
Contact Jean for more information. And click on the link for donation gift ideas for all ages.
Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Lexi Reed Holtum of the Steve Rummler Hope Foundation as program speaker at the Thursday, Dec. 3, meeting. She will speak about "The Dilemma of Chronic Pain and Addiction." The Edina Rotary Foundation, along with Rotary District 5950, awarded the Steve Rummler Hope Foundation a local grant in 2014.
New members David Aase and John Mazzara will be inducted at the meeting.
Rotary Club of Edina, along with the Edina Morningside Rotary Club, will gather this Wednesday, Nov. 25, at the Edina Country Club for the annual Thanksgiving Baskets Assembly. Members of the two clubs, along with their families and friends, will assemble baskets of food to deliver to families in need this Thanksgiving.
The Nov. 25 meeting begins at 11:30 a.m. with lunch, followed by the basket assembly and finally delivery. The registration deadline was Nov. 19. Please contact Michael Stanzak with questions.
There is no Rotary Club of Edina meeting this Thursday, Nov. 26, due to the Thanksgiving holiday. We will meet next Thursday, Dec. 3, at 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club. The speaker will be Lexi Reed Holtum of the Steve Rummler Hope Foundation.
Edina, Minnesota, Nov. 13, 2015 — As part of its focus on education and literacy, the Rotary Club of Edina is reading to third-grade classes at Normandale French Immersion, Countryside and Highlands elementary schools this month.
Rotarians are reading the book Andy & Elmer’s Apple Dumpling Adventure by Andrew Shoup. The book is about a young boy, Andy, who starts a business selling apple dumplings. He gets help from his neighbor, Elmer, who has an apple tree, and later on from Becky, who helps transport the dumplings to market.
Through the story, children learn several life lessons. Students get the opportunity to discuss with Rotarians how these lessons might impact the things they think, say, and do in real life. Students also sample apple dumplings with ice cream and receive a book to take home.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Elaine Wyatt as program speaker at the Thursday, Nov. 19, meeting. Wyatt is the executive director of WomenVenture, a Twin Cities-based nonprofit that provides women of all ages, cultures, races and income levels with the tools and resources to achieve economic success through small business ownership.
Rotarian Luther Amundson will give his classification talk at the meeting.
There is no Rotary Club of Edina meeting on Thursday, Nov. 26, due to the Thanksgiving holiday. Join us Wednesday, Nov. 25, when the Rotary Club of Edina and Edina Morningside Rotary Club gather to assemble Thanskgiving baskets for area families in need. The meeting starts at 11:30 a.m. with lunch, then Rotarians and their families will pack up the baskets filled with Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings and more, and deliver them to families in Edina and Minneapolis. Register online today!
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Ray Klinginsmith as the program speaker at the Thursday, Nov. 5, meeting. Klinginsmith was Rotary International President for 2010–2011, and is the Chair of The Rotary Foundation Board of Trustees. We will be joined at the meeting by the Eden Prairie Noon Rotary Club.
Next week, there is no regular Thursday meeting for the Rotary Club of Edina. All members are encouraged to attend the Rotary Area 3 Veterans Luncheon at the Edina Country Wednesday, Nov. 11.
The Rotary Club of Edina, along with all Area 3 Rotary clubs, will host the annual Veterans Luncheon this Wednesday, Nov. 11, at the Edina Country Club. The keynote speaker at the event will be retired Major General Paul Rehkamp and the emcee is WCCO's Dave Mona. U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar will also speak at the event. Registration and social hour begins at 11:10 a.m., featuring the Rotary Brass Quintet. The lunch and program will begin at 11:30.
There is no Rotary Club of Edina meeting this Thursday, Nov. 12.
Rotary Club of Edina is welcoming prospective members to the Thursday, Oct. 29, meeting! Those interested in our club and Rotary are welcome to attend the meeting and find out more about what we do! The program speaker for the meeting will be bestselling author Richard Leider. He will speak about "Life and Work Reimagined." Leider's books include "The Power of Purpose."
Rotarian Steve Buettner will also give his classification talk at the meeting.
France Avenue in Edina and the I-35W Bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis will be lit in shades of red and yellow on Oct. 24 to honor Rotary International’s fight to end polio called “End Polio Now.”
Rotary International and the Rotary Clubs of Edina and Edina Morningside, along with other clubs in District 5950, have been engaged in a 30-year campaign to eradicate polio worldwide. When Rotary launched its eradication effort in 1985, more than 350,000 children in 125 countries were stricken with polio every year. Since then, polio cases have dropped by 99 percent, to 359 cases in 2014. As of the end of September, 44 cases of wild poliovirus had been reported in 2015 in two countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Africa recently marked one year without wild polio.
This week the Rotary Club of Edina is holding their annual Vocational Day meeting. The Thursday, Oct. 22, meeting will be the Microsoft Technology Center in Edina. Because of space limitations, only 64 members will be able to attend the event. Members must register to attend the event due to security at the building. The meeting will begin at noon, so members are asked to arrive by 11:45 a.m. to get their name badge from Microsoft staff and find the meeting room.
Next week we will be back at the Edina Country Club for the meeting. Oct 29 is Prospective Member Day for Rotary Club of Edina. Please bring along a friend or colleague that is interested in learing more about Rotary. All prospective members eat free on Oct. 29!
Brian Olson, Public Works Director for the City of Edina, will be the program speaker at the Thursday, Oct. 15, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. He will give an update on the Public Works Department and projects in the city.
The Rotary Club of Edina meets Thursdays at 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club. All are welcome. Cost for lunch and the program is $19 for adults, $12 for children.
Edina, Minnesota, Oct. 2, 2015 — 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.
Meteorologist Paul Douglas will be the program speaker for the Thursday, Oct. 8, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Douglas writes a blog about weather for the Star Tribune, is founder of Media Logic Group and launched a new national weather channel, WeatherNation TV. He has 34 years of broadcast television experience and 36 years of radio experience.
New member Kenny Smith will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina will host a joint meeting with the Edina Morningside Rotary Club this Thursday, Oct. 1. The program speaker will be Dave Murphy, CEO at Fairview Health Services. He is also president and CEO of Red Wing Shoe Company Inc.
The meeting will feature a wrap-up of the successful Edina Rotary Foundation Fundraiser & Gala, held Sept. 26. President Jennifer Bennerotte might be looking a bit blue at the meeting, make sure to attend to find out why!
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome David Peters as program speaker at the Thursday, Sept. 17, meeting. He will speak about "Operation 23 to Zero: Fighting the War at Home." Peters, a U.S. Marine for 10 years and still in the Reserves, co-founded Operation 23 to Zero to provide soldiers and veterans a support network and to raise awareness of the rate of suicides in the military—22 veterans and one active duty soldier will commit suicide every day. One of the group's projects in the spring was to raise awareness by placing 23 pairs of military boots on the Minnesota Capitol steps to represent those men and women who will commit suicide that day.
There is no Rotary Club of Edina meeting Sept. 24. The Edina Rotary Foundation Fundraiser & Gala will be Saturday, Sept. 26.
The Rotary Club of Edina is proud to announce that Jim Roberts is a new member of our Club. Jim's classification is Aviation, and his sponsor to the Club was David Clynes. Jim joined the Club May 7, 2015.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Jason DeRusha as the program speaker at the Thursday, Sept. 10, meeting. DeRusha is the co-anchor of WCCO 4 News This Morning program, airing each weekday on the station. He is also co-anchor of WCCO's Mid-Morning program.
Rotarian Royce Pavelka will give his Classification Talk at the meeting.
As pop music critic for the Star Tribune, Jon Bream has attended more than 7,000 concerts, interviewed the King of Pop (Michael Jackson), the Queen of Soul (Aretha Franklin), Prince, Bob Dylan, U2, three Beatles, four Rolling Stones and all of Maroon 5. He has performed with Alice Cooper, jogged with Willie Nelson and smoked with Paul McCartney. His reviews and features have been published in countless newspapers and magazines from the Boston Globe to the Los Angeles Times and from Billboard to Vibe.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Brigadier General Greg A. Haase as program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 27, meeting. Haase is the the Vice Director Domestic Operations and Force Development for the National Guard Bureau. He will speak about "The Economy: A Pillar of of National Power."
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome its own Tim Murphy as program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 20, meeting. Murphy is serving as Rotary District 5950 Governor for 2015–2016. He will speak about his goals for the district this Rotary year, and the theme "Be a Gift to the World."
Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Tom Chorske as the program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 13, meeting. Chorske, a former professional hockey player, will talk about "The Culture of Championship Teams." He now works as a hockey analyst on Fox Sports North.
The Rotary Club fo Edina is proud to collaborate wth four other area Rotary clubs to fund new equipment for the Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute's Ski and Snowboard program. More than 1,200 lessons are given each season through the institute's adaptive ski and snowboard program.
The Rotary Club of Edina is proud to announce that Ross Peterson is a new member of our Club. Ross's classification is Association Management, and his sponsor to the Club was Dave Hatzung. Ross joined the Club March 12, 2015.
The Rotary Club of Edina sponsored a clothing drive, along with the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans (MACV), at the July 23 club meeting. More than two van fulls of clothing were donated and will be distributed to area veterans and their families through MACV.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Jim Eppel as program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 6, meeting. Eppel will speak about "Healthcare 2015: Where Are We, How We Got Here, and What We Need To Do About It." He is president and CEO of UCare.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Rick Nelson as program speaker at the Thursday, July 30, meeting. Nelson is the restaurant critic for the Star Tribune, and recently gave up his anonymity as an undercover restaurant reviewer and allowed the public to know what he looked like—and if they were eating at the same restaurant as him.
It is Prospective Member Day at the meeting! All Rotarians are encouraged to bring friends or colleagues that are interested in learning more about Rotary and our club. Lunch for prospective members is on the club this week!
Bill Milota will give his Classification Talk at the meeting, and Perfect Attendance Awards will be give out to qualifying members.
The Rotary Club of Edina is proud to announce that Dan Hare is a new member of our Club. Dan's classification is Residential Real Estate, and his sponsor to the Club was Mitch Robinson. Dan joined the Club April 9, 2015.
The Edina Rotary Foundation recently awarded a grant to install a neo-natal intensive care unit in Palampur, India, to provide low-cost or free care to the community there. An estimated 480 to 600 families are expected to benefit annually from the new unit.
Rotary Club of Edina will welcome David Nguyen of the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans as the program speaker at the Thursday, July 23, meeting. Nguyen is outreach manager at MACV. A clothing drive benefiting veterans and their families will be held in the Edina Country Club during the meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Boyd Huppert as program speaker at the Thursday, July 16, meeting. Huppert is a reporter at KARE 11 television in the Twin Cities, and reports on "The Land of 10,000 Stories" for the station. Jim Roberts will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina is partnering with the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans (MACV) to host a clothing drive for veterans and their families Thursday, July 23. Clothing will be collected in the Edina Country Club parking lot from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., during the club's weekly meeting.
Bob Dickey will be program speaker at the first meeting of the new Rotary year Thursday, July 9. An anaylist at RBC Wealth Management, Dickey will speak about "Market Maps: The Road Ahead for the Stock Market."
New members Luther Amundson and Libby Schmit will be officially inducted into the Rotary Club of Edina at the meeting.
Rotary Club of Edina past president Tim Murphy was installed as the 2015–2016 Rotary District 5950 Governor at a celebration dinner Thursday, June 18. Many members of the Rotary Club of Edina gathered along with members of many other Rotary clubs in the District, District Leadership, and special guests, to honor outgoing District Governor Jim Nelson, and welcome new District Governor Murphy.
Rotary Club of Edina held its last meeting of the 2014–2015 year June 25, and the presidency of the club transferred from Jeff Ohe to Jennifer Bennerotte. She is the 61st president of the club, which was chartered in 1957.
Mark your calendars! The Rotary Club of Edina has announced that the annual Fundraiser & Gala will be Saturday, Sept. 26, at the Metropolitan Ballroom & Clubroom in Golden Valley. The theme for this year's gala is "Lights! Camera! Rotary in Action!"
Rotary Club of Edina members gathered with the community to dedicate the Veterans Memorial in Utley Park in Edina on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25. The club was a significant donor to the project. The memorial honors veterans of all the armed forces, including the 32 native and adopted sons of Edina who died in the time of war.
Give your child, grandchild or special young friend the gift of literacy while teaching them the Rotary Four-Way Test this summer! Two books about Rotary are available for purchase through President-Elect Jennifer Bennerotte. One of the books was featured this school year in a Rotary program with third-graders in the community.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Kyle Loven as program speaker at the Thursday, June 11, meeting. Loven is chief division counsel and media coordinator for the FBI's Minneapolis division. He will speak about "FBI in Minneapolis: ISIS Recruitment Efforts in Our Community."
Rotary Camp Enterprise, a joint project between Edina Morningside Rotary Club and the Rotary Club of Edina won first place in the Youth Service category at the District 5950 Conference in Bloomington May 16. Camp E volunteer and Rotary Club of Edina member John Flynn created this video as part of the presentation.
Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Sally Smith as the program speaker at the Thursday, May 28, meeting. Smith is the CEO and president of Buffalo Wild Wings.
Recently, the Edina Rotary Foundation announced the organizations selected to receive grants for the 2014–2015 Rotary year. Six grants have already been awarded to Can Do Canines, Cornerstone, Fishing for Life, Fraser, Minnesota Life College, and YMCA Camp Ihduhapi.
The Rotary Club of Edina will honor Women in Leadership at the Thursday, May 21, meeting. The Club gives out the Chrysanne Manoles Women in Leadership Award each year. Speaking at the meeting will be last year's award winner, Kim Foote, as well as Bill Neuendorf, economic development manager for the City of Edina.
The Rotary Club of Edina welcomes new member Dan Hennen (shown on the right in photo)! Dan joined the Club April 9, 2015, and was sponsored by Josh Sprague. Dan's classification is Commercial Banking.
The Rotary Club of Edina is proud to announce that Dan Hennen (at right in photo) is a new member of our Club. Dan's classification is Commercial Banking, and his sponsor to the Club was Josh Sprague. Terry joined the Club April 9, 2015.
Rotary Club of Edina member Bob Solheim will be the program speaker at the Thursday, May 14, meeting. He will speak about "The Magic of Hospice," and will focus on the philosophy of hospice and the history of the Club's support of a community asset known as Little Hospice.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome the Rev. Richard Coleman as program speaker at the Thursday, May 7, meeting. He is the executive director of Hope United Community Development Corporation and will speak about "North Minneapolis: Breaking the Cycle of Poverty." Rotarian Jim Ryman will serve as program chair and give his classification talk at the meeting.
Rotary Club of Edina will hold a Prospective Member Day at the Thursday, April 30, meeting. All Rotarians are encouraged to bring a friend or colleague to the meeting. All prospective members get a free lunch that day! The program speaker at the meeting will be Dave Lee of WCCO Radio. He will share his stories of his years in the radio business, as well as anecdotes about his good friend Sid Hartman.
The next Rotary Club of Edina meeting is Thursday, April 16. The program speaker for the meeting will be Philip Lukhachi, and he will speak about "An Immigrant's Story." Lukhachi may be familiar to Club members as a part of "Team Moses."
New member Terry Moore will be inducted into the Club at the meeting.
The Area 3 Vocational Ethics Day will be Thursday, April 23, at the Edina Country Club. This annual spring meeting will begin at 11:30 a.m. and conclude at 1:30 p.m. All Area 3 Rotary Clubs are encouraged to attend, and high school students from Bloomington, Eden Prairie, Edina, and Richfield will be special guests at the meeting. The featured speaker at the event is John Rubischko, and his talk is titled "Life without Bars."
The Rotary Club of Edina will hold a joint meeting with Edina Morningside Rotary Club Tuesday, April 7, at 7:15 a.m. at the Edina Country Club. Program speaker will be Edina Schools Superintendent Ric Dressen, who will talk about the school bonding referendum set to go before voters in May. Dressen is also a member of EMRC.
Tech Dump will be holding a free electronics recycling event in the ECC valet parking lot from 7 to 9:30 a.m. in conjunction with the joint meeting.
There is no Rotary Club of Edina meeting Thursday, April 9.
The Rotary Club of Edina awarded the annual Chrysanne Manoles Women in Leadership Award at the May 21 meeting. The 2015 winner is Kris Marshall, Connecting with Kids director for the Edina Community Foundation.
The Rotary Club of Edina is proud to announce that David D. McElroy is a new member of our Club. David's classification is Business Development Consultant, and his sponsor to the Club was Skip Thomas. David joined the Club March 12, 2015.
The Rotary Club of Edina is proud to announce that Greg Yoch is a new member of our Club. Greg's classification is Custom Business Decor, and his sponsors to the Club were Gary Pedersen and Ted Yoch. Ted joined the Club Feb. 5, 2015.
The Rotary Club of Edina is seeking nominations for the seventh-annual "Chrysanne Manoles Women in Leadership Award." The award is given each year by the club to celebrate the work of women in the Edina community. Nominations are due by April 30.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome comedian Bill Arnold as the program speaker at the meeting Thursday, April 2. Based in Minneapolis, Arnold is best known for his long run in the comedy Triple Espresso...a highly caffeinated comedy.
New member Hugh Hadlund will be officially inducted to the club at the meeting.
During the joint meeting of the Edina Morningside Rotary Club and the Rotary Club of Edina April 7, Tech Dump held a free recycling event. Community members were encouraged to drop off their used electronics equipment at the Edina Country Club to be recycled, at the same time helping support Tech Dump, a non-profit helping economically disadvantaged adults to obtain marketable job skills. The event was an amazing success, filling the Tech Dump truck in only two hours!
Bring your old electronics to the parking lot of the Edina Country Club on Tuesday morning, April 7, and recycle them for free with the help of Tech Dump. During the joint meeting of the Edina Morningside Rotary Club and the Rotary Club of Edina, Tech Dump will be holding the free recycling event. Just come to the valet parking lot at the ECC between 7 and 9:30 a.m. with those electronics you have been meaning to get rid of. Follow the signs to the parking lot —the Tech Dump staff will take it from there!
Go to TechDump.org for more information or call 763-432-3117.
Longtime Rotary Club of Edina member Jerry Potter was honored last week at the Connecting with Kids Leadership Breakfast for his incredible work starting the Leadership Ethics Seminar for Edina High School students, known as "Do the Right Thing." Jerry was one of four people given the Connecting with Kids Award from the Edina Community Foundation. He is shown at right at the 2014 Leadership Ethics Seminar, along with Rotary Club of Edina President Jeff Ohe.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Darrell Thompson as program speaker at Thursday, March 19, meeting at the Edina Country Club. Thompson, who holds the University of Minnesota record for career rushing yards, will speak about Bolder Options, the organization that focuses on healthy youth development. Thompson is president of Bolder Options, located in Minneapolis.
Leann Stessman will also give her classification talk at the meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina meets at the Edina Country Club at 12:15 p.m. Thursdays. All are welcome. Cost for lunch and the program is $18.
Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Terry Kerber as the program speaker at the Thursday, March 12, meeting. Kerber, a partner at a retirement investment group in Eden Prairie, is also an author. He will speak about the topic of his book, "Major Taylor, The Greatest Legend America Ever Forgot."
The Rotary Club of Edina meets at 12:15 p.m. Thursdays at the Edina Country Club. All are welcome. Cost for lunch and the program is $18.
The Rotary Club of Edina recently donated funds to the building of a new Emergency Room Center at Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina. And the club was instrumental in organizing other area Rotary clubs to also contribute to the fund. Rotarian Brad Beard, president of Fairview Health Services south region, recently thanked the Club for its donation at a Rotary meeting.
Recently, Rotary Club of Edina member Dan Hallberg had a hand in helping another area Rotary Club develop a program that puts bread into the hands of families in need.
Rotary Club of Edina members are needed to help find candidates for the Rotary Peace Fellowships program. Rotarians should encourage anyone qualified and interested in this opportunity to contact Rotarian Axel Steuer. For more on the qualifications and contact info, continue on to the linked story...
Two Rotary Club of Edina members were honored recently with awards by the Edina Chamber of Commerce.
Leann Stessman received the Chamber's Volunteer of the Year Award. And Scott Tankenoff received the Business Person of the Year Award from the Chamber.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Amanda LaGrange as the program speaker at the Thursday, Feb. 26, meeting. LaGrange is the director of marketing for Tech Dump, a nonprofit organization that collects and recycles electronics and uses the proceeds from the recycling to create jobs for those with challenging work histories. She will speak about "Jobs for Junk."
The Rotary Club of Edina meets Thursdays at 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club. All are welcome. Cost for lunch and the program is $18.
The Rotary Club of Edina is proud to announce that Steve Buettner is a new member of our Club. Steve's classification is School District Administration, and his sponsor to the Club was Valerie Burke. Steve joined the Club on Jan. 22, 2015.
Last week, Rotary Club of Edina member and District 5950 Governor-Elect Tim Murphy traveled to Africa on a Rotary trip. While there, he will visit Kenya and Uganda. While in Nairobi, Kenya, he stopped to visit Moses (they are shown in the photo). Moses is special to our Club, and we thought we'd share his amazing story once again. Click the link to read all about Moses...
The Rotary Club of Edina is proud to announce that Royce Pavelka is a new member of our Club. Royce's classification is Commercial Real Estate, and his sponsor to the Club was Sonja Tengdin. Royce joined the Club on Jan. 22, 2015.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Richard Lett as the program speaker at the Thursday, Feb. 19, meeting. Lett was senior protection officer for the Royal Family and the London Olympics. He worked for Scotland Yard for 30 years. He is currently a member advocate for the Minnesota Benefit Association. His program is titled, "Motivation, Leadership, and Teamwork: Lessons and Reflections From a Life Observing World Leaders."
We meet every Thursday at 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club. All are welcome. Cost for lunch and the program is $18.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome one of our own members as program speaker at the next meeting, Thursday, Feb. 12. Longtime Rotarian Thom Winninger will speak about "What Are You Up Too?" and will read excerpts from his upcoming book, "Landing Up or Stepping Down! Where Are You Going From Here?"
The Club meets every Thursday at 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club. All are welcome. Cost for lunch and the program is $18.
The Rotary Club of Edina is proud to announce that Leann Stessman is a new member of our Club. Leann's classification is Retail and Commercial Banking, and her sponsor to the Club was Josh Sprague. Leann joined the Club on Oct. 9, 2014.
The Rotary Club of Edina is mourning the death of longtime member C. Sherman Hoyt, M.D. He passed away Jan. 7. Sherm joined the Club in 1998 and was a very active Rotarian until last year.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Jarret Brachman as the program speaker at the Thursday, Jan. 22, meeting. Brachman will speak about "Counterterrorism: ISIS and Al Quaeda."
We meet at 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club. All are welcome. Cost for lunch and the program is $18.
Members of the Rotary Club of Edina, along with friends and family, volunteered to ring the bell for the Salvation Army red kettle at the new Byerly’s in Edina this past December A lot of donations went into the kettle on Dec. 23, when Rotarian Josh Sprague and his four children energeticallly rang the bell (pictured at left).
Click on the link below for the grand total raised during our Club's bell ringing...
The next Rotary Vocational Development Group will be Monday, Dec. 12. Note the change of date for this gathering. The speaker at the meeting will be Dick Crockett of the Edina Community Foundation. He is a member of the Edina Morningside Rotary Club.
Once a month, Edina Rotarians have a chance to connect with other club members, and any guests, at the happy hour. This Rotary event is held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Mezz at the Lunds & Byerly's in Edina. The meeting will feature a brief presentation from a featured Rotarian, plus time for introductions, networking and questions. The Rotary Club of Edina and EMRC collaborate on this event.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Edina Police Officer Dave Lindman as the program speaker at the Jan. 15 meeting. He will speak about "White Collar Crime and Identity Theft."
New member Larry Doty will be officially inducted into the Club at the meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina meets at 12:15 p.m. Thursdays at the Edina Country Club. Cost for the program and lunch is $18. All are welcome
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Edina Mayor Jim Hovland as program speaker at the first meeting of the new year. Hovland will speak about the "State of the City" Thursday, Jan. 8.
Rotary Club of Edina member Bill Milota will be officially inducted into the Club at the meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina meets at 12:15 p.m. Thursdays at the Edina Country Club. All are welcome. The cost for lunch and the program is $18.
Mark Lanterman will be the program speaker at the Rotary Club of Edina's meeting Jan. 29. Lanterman, a computer forensics expert, will speak about "Easiest Catch: Don't Be Another Fish in the 'Net."
The Rotary Club of Edina is proud to announce that Larry Doty is a new member of our Club. Amir's classification is Higher Education, and his sponsor to the Club was Paul Peterson. He joined the Club on Nov. 6, 2014.
The inbound Rotary Youth Exchange students have arrived in Edina for the 2015–2016 school year! The Rotary Club of Edina and the Edina Morningside Rotary Club are looking for host families for the two students, Tina Sletten and Jein Im. A family that agrees to host a student from another country through the Rotary Youth Exchange student must live in Edina and be willing to host a student in their home for three months. Each student lives with three different host families during their stay. Support is provided by the Youth Service committees for both clubs. Please contact Host Family Coordinator Sonja Tengdin if you are interested. She can be reached at sonja@scoopypoo.net or 612 849-2727.
The Rotary Club of Edina collected gifts for families and individuals in need in our community this holiday season. Rotarian Jean Morrison, who spearheaded the Holiday Giving Program again this year, reports that the cash and gift donations were the most ever! VEAP and Oasis for Youth were the recipients of all the donations.
Beth Burns of the Minnesota Zoo will be the program speaker at this week's Rotary Club of Edina meeting, Thursday, Dec. 11. Burns is vice president of external relations for the zoo, and a member of the leadership team. She will speak about "What's New at the Zoo?"
New member Amir Gharbi will be inducted into the Club at the meeting.
Rotary Club of Edina meets at the Edina Country Club from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. every Thursday. All are welcome. Cost for lunch and the program is $18.
Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Anne Mavity as the program speaker at the next regular meeting, Thursday, Dec. 4, at the Edina Country Club. Mavity is the director of new projects for Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative. At the meeting, she will focus on the new supportive housing project for youth scheduled to be constructed at 66th Street in Edina, called the 66 West Apartments.
The Rotary Club of Edina hosted the Leadership Ethics Seminar, also known as "Do the Right Thing," for Edina High school students on Monday, Nov. 17. Sixty-four EHS students and 29 Rotarians and volunteers participated in an all-day seminar on leadership ethics. The event, co-chaired this fall by Jerry Potter and Joe Hayes, was held for the third time, moving from the spring to the fall for the 2014-2015 school year.
The Rotary Club of Edina is proud to announce that Bill Milota has joined our Club. Bill's classification is Real Estate Law. Bill was previously a member of the Rotary Club of Edina from December 1990 to July 2007. He rejoined the Club on Sept. 11, 2014.
The Rotary Club of Edina will have their annual lunch and Thanksgiving Baskets Assembly on Wednesday, Nov. 26. Rotarians and their guests will join with members of the Edina Morningside Rotary Club and their guests to pack Thanksgiving baskets for families in need, then deliver the baskets to families in Edina and north and south Minneapolis. Lunch will be served at 11:45 a.m., and basket assembly starts at 12:30 p.m., finishing by 1:30 p.m. so the baskets can be delivered.
There is no Rotary Club of Edina meeting on Thursday, Nov. 27, because of the Thanksgiving holiday. The next regular club meeting is Dec. 4.
Rotary Camp Enterprise, held Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 6-8, at
Camp Ihduhapi, was a rousing success! One-hundred ten students attended camp
and learned about the free enterprise system from adult volunteers, including many
The Rotary Club of Edina is proud to announce that Amir Arnold Gharbi is a new member of our Club. Amir's classification is Public Service, and his sponsor to the Club was David Clynes. He joined the Club on Oct. 9, 2014.
The Rotary Club of Edina will host the Edina Morningside Rotary Club at the Thursday, Nov. 20, meeting. This joint meeting will feature program speaker Mary Beth Growney Selene, a director for Rotary International for 2013-2015, and will highlight The Rotary Foundation. She is a member of the Madison West Towne-Middleton Rotary Club in Wisconsin.
All are welcome at the meeting. Cost for lunch and the program is $18.
Rotary Club of Edina will join with Area 3 Rotary Clubs on Monday, Nov. 10, to honor our veterans. The annual Veterans Luncheon will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Monday at the Edina Country Club. Speakers for the event are Major Jackie Stenger and Sgt. First Class Angela Bedessem of the Minnesota National Guard.
The Veterans Luncheon counts as the Rotary Club of Edina regular meeting next week. There will be no meeting on Thursday, Nov. 13.
The Rotary Club of Edina is proud to announce that Ron Kalich is a new member of our Club. Ron's classification is Business Consulting, and his sponsor to the Club was Ann Platt. He joined the Club on Oct. 9, 2014.
Former Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak will be the program speaker at the next Rotary Club of Edina meeting, Thursday, Nov. 6. Rybak will speak about Generation Next, a group of civic, business and education leaders aiming to close the achievement and opportunity gaps for students of color in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
The Rotary Club of Edina meets at the Edina Country Club from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. All are welcome. Cost for the program and lunch is $18.
Please note that next week's Rotary meeting will be on Monday, Nov. 10, when we will host the Area 3 Rotary Veterans Luncheon at the Edina Country Club. This lunch honoring area veterans begins at 11:30 a.m. and concludes at 1:30 p.m. All Edina Rotarians can invite two veterans for the event free of charge. Each additional guest is $25. Please register yourself and any guests by logging into the website and going to "Events."
There is no Rotary Club of Edina meeting Thursday, Nov. 13.
The Edina Rotary Foundation Fundraiser was held Saturday evening, Oct. 11, at the Sheraton Bloomington Hotel in Bloomington.
This year's theme was Rendezvous in Paris, and the event featured a Silent Auction, Live Auction, raffle, wine wall, photo booth, signature drink, dinner, and entertainment. The numbers are still coming in for the total raised, but the Gala broke records in attendance, sponsorships, and other areas. All proceeds will go to local and international organizations to improve the lives of those less fortunate, according to Rotary Club of Edina President Jeff Ohe. Thanks to all the guests, volunteers, and everyone who made the night a smashing success. Co-chaired by Rotarians Jean Morrison and Mary Younggren, our Rendezvous in Paris was indeed magnifique!
Oct. 24 is World Polio Day. The Rotary Club of Edina and Rotary District 5950 have been supporting the efforts to eradicate polio for many years. Tim Mulcrone leads polio eradication efforts for our District, and shows in this photo how committed he is!
Rotary is working tirelessly around the world to eradicate polio, and is this close—with just a few countries left before this disease is eliminated. Check out the link for more info on Rotary International's End Polio Now efforts.
The Rotary Club of Edina will have a Prospective Member Day at its meeting Thursday, Oct. 30. All Rotarians are encouraged to bring friends or colleagues that are interested in learning more about Rotary and our Club. We are especially encouraging members to bring female prospective members to this meeting. We will also be having a special appreciation for our female Rotarians that day, so please plan to attend! Lunch is on the Club for prospective members Oct. 30!
The program speaker for the meeting will be Amy Nelson, founder and CEO of Accurate Home Care. Her commitment to helping people disabilities led her to start her own home health care business at 18, which now employs more than 3,000 people. She is also passionate about supporting The Miracle League, where children with disabilities have the opportunity to play baseball.
Rotary Club of Edina meetings are held at the Edina Country Club at 12:15 p.m. on Thursdays. All are welcome. The cost of lunch and the program is $18. If you need more information about Prospective Member Day, contact Membership Director Josh Sprague at joshsprague@edinarealty.com.
The Rotary Club of Edina will hold a Vocational Day meeting at VEAP (Volunteers Enlisted to Assist People) next Thursday, Oct. 23. This will be in place of our regular meeting at the Edina Country Club.
The Vocational Day meeting will begin at 12:15 p.m. with a short presentation by the VEAP Executive Director Susan Russell Freeman. After, small group tours of the facility will be conducted for Rotarians. A box lunch will be served.
VEAP is located at 9600 Aldrich Ave. S., Bloomington.
The Rotary Club of Edina is proud to announce that Jim Ryman is a new member of our Club. Jim's classification is Insurance Management, and his sponsor to the Club was Joel Jennings. He joined the Club on Sept. 11. He was officially inducted into the Club at the Oct. 2 meeting, shown below, by his sponsor Joel Jennings (center) and past Club President Brad Hepp (at right). Learn more about Jim by clicking on the link below...
Roshini Rajkumar, radio host on WCCO Radio, will be the program speaker at Rotary Club of Edina meeting Thursday, Oct. 2. She will speak about "Helping People Own Their WOW!"
The Rotary Club of Edina meets at the Edina Country Club. Meetings start at 12:15 p.m. and the cost for lunch and the program is $18. All are welcome.
University of Minnesota professor Uwe Kortshagen will be the program speaker at the Thursday, Sept. 25, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Kortshagen's program, "Mechanical Engineering at the University of Minnesota," is a distinguished McKnight University Professor and department head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
New member Joe Graca will be inducted at the meeting as well.
Rotary Club of Edina meetings are held at the Edina Country Club. Cost for lunch and the program is $18. All are welcome.
The Rotary Club of Edina will feature program speaker Tony Barranco at the Thursday, Sept. 18, meeting. Barranco is vice president of development for office and mixed use for Ryan Companies. He is in charge of the $400-million Downtown East project in Minneapolis.
The Rotary Club of Edina meets at 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club. All are welcome. The cost of lunch is $18.
The Rotary Club of Edina is holding their annual Fundraiser and Gala Saturday, Oct. 11, at the Sheraton Bloomington Hotel. The reception and silent auction will begin at 6 p.m., with the dinner, raffle, and live auction at 7:45 p.m. The theme of this year's gala is "Rendezvous in Paris," and will feature a Parisian atmosphere with a 7-foot tall Eiffel Tower, a strolling musician playing French bistro music, and the hotel lit up like the "City of Lights."
All proceeds from the Fundraiser and Gala go to the Rotary Club of Edina Foundation to fund local and international grants.
Tickets are on sale now! For more information about the event, or to get tickets, please contact the event's co-chairs, Jean Morrison (jean@jeanmorrisonhr.com) and Mary Younggren (maryy@adventcreativegroup.com). We hope to see you there!
For more information and to see a list of our generous sponsors for this year's Gala, click on the "2014 Fundraiser and Gala" link towards the top on the left side of the page.
Star Tribune outdoors editor Dennis Anderson will be the program speaker at the Rotary Club of Edina meeting Thursday, Sept. 11. He will speak about The Legacy Act, and how $300 Million a year in conservation, parks and trails, and arts funding is being spent, and what it means to Minnesota's future.
The Rotary Club of Edina meets Thursdays at 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club. All are welcome. The cost for lunch and the program is $18.
The Rotary Club of Edina is proud to announce that Joseph Graca is a new member of our Club. Joe's classification is Mortgage Banking, and his sponsor to the Club was Mike Opitz. He joined the Club on July 10. Learn more about Joe by clicking on the link below...
Rotary District 5950 Governor Jim Nelson will be the program speaker at the Thursday, Sept. 4, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Nelson will be governor from July 2014 to June 2015. He is a member of the Rotary Club of Minneapolis City of Lakes, and an Edina resident. He will speak about the District's goals for the Rotary year.
Rotary Club of Edina meets at 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club. All are welcome. Cost for the program and lunch is $18.
The Rotary Club of Edina is seeking grant applications from non-profit organizations. Each year our club grants thousands of dollars to local groups. For more information, click on the Local Grant Application or Local Grant Guidelines link on the bottom left side of this page, or contact Community Service (Local Grants) Committee Chair Mike Kallas at mkallas@kallas-law.com. Application deadline is Oct. 31.
The Rotary Club of Edina is pleased to announce that our program speaker for Aug. 28 will be Robb Hiller, CEO of Performance Solutions Minnesota, Inc., and nationally known author and profit improvement consultant.
His program topic will be the same as the title of his book: "Stop Barking and Start Leading- Five Leadership Lessons We Can Learn From My Dog Bentley!"
Don Hutchison will also give his classification talk at the meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina meets at 12:15 p.m. Thursdays at the Edina Country Club. All are welcome. Cost for the program and lunch is $18.
The Rotary Club of Edina is proud to announce that Yevgeniy "Eugene" Drozdov is a new member of our Club. Eugene's classification is Mortgage Banking, and his sponsor to the Club was Mary Hustad. He joined the Club on June 5. Learn more about Eugene by clicking on the link below...
A clock dedication ceremony was held Tuesday, Aug. 12, at the Hughes Pavilion at Centennial Lakes Park. The dedication featured a few words from Rotary Club of Edina Past President Scott MacDonald, President Jeff Ohe, as well as Edina Mayor Jim Hovland.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Michele Kelm-Helgen as the program speaker at their Thursday, Aug. 21, meeting. Kelm-Helgen, chair of the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority since June 2012, will speak about the "New Minnesota Multi-Purpose Stadium: Tranforming Downtown East."
Scott Tankenoff will also give his classification talk at the meeting.
Rotary Club of Edina meetings are held at the Edina Country Club starting at 12:15 p.m. Everyone is welcome. Cost for lunch and the program is $18.
The Rotary Club of Edina is proud to announce that Deirdre Kvale is a new member of our Club. Deidre's classification is Intellectual Property Law, and her sponsor to the Club was Sam Thompson. She joined the Club on July 10. Learn more about Deirdre by clicking on the link below...
The Rotary Club of Edina is proud to announce that David Clynes is a new member of our Club. David's classification is Engineering, and his sponsor to the Club was his father, William Clynes. He joined the Club on April 10. Learn more about David by clicking on the link below...
The Rotary Club of Edina is proud to announce that Colleen Simpson is a new member of our Club. Colleen's classification is Foundation Administration, and his sponsor to the Club was Mary Hustad and Sandy Schley. She joined the Club on April 10. Learn more about Colleen by clicking on the link below...
The Rotary Club of Edina is pleased to announce the premiere of a a video by the Steve Rummler Hope Foundation at their meeting Thursday, Aug. 14. The Steve Rummler Hope Foundation will be the featured program at the meeting, and the informative video sheds light on the high rate of prescription drug overdoses.
The Rotary Club of Edina, along with a matching grant from Rotary District 5950, was a major donor to the foundation to make this video, and Club members can't wait to see the results.
The Rotary Club of Edina meets at 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club. Everyone is welcome. The cost for lunch and the program is $18.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dr. Robert Sweet as program speaker at their Thursday, Aug. 7, meeting. He will speak about "Simulation: Driving the Future of Healthcare and Patient Safety." Dr. Sweet is associate professor of Urology at the University of Minnesota, and is director of the Medical School's Simulation Programs and the Kidney Stone Program.
Also at the meeting, new member Yevgeniy "Eugene" Drozdov will be inducted into the Club. Eugene is sponsored by Mary Hustad and joined the Rotary Club of Edina in July.
The Rotary Club of Edina meets at 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club. Lunch is $18. All are welcome.
Please join us for the Thursday, July 31, meeting of the Rotary Club of Edina, where the program speaker will be Craig Lamothe, acting project director for Southwest LRT, METRO Green Line Extension.
New member Colleen Simpson will also give her classification talk at the meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina meets at 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club. Cost for lunch is $18. All are welcome.
Join us Thursday, July 24, for program speaker Ward Brehm at the Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Brehm is founder of The Brehm Group, which works with family investment offices on life insurance and estate planning. He is a nationally recognized leader in African humanitarian efforts, and a nationally known public speaker and commentator on relief development in Africa.
July 24 is also prospective member day at the meeting. All Edina Rotarians are encouraged to bring along someone who is interested in Rotary. Lunch is free that day for anyone interested in learning more about our Club. Come and see what Rotary is all about!
And new member Don Hutchison will be inducted at the meeting. Don joined the Club in April 2014.
The meeting starts at 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club. All are welcome.
Please join us Thursday, July 17, for the Rotary Club of Edina meeting where our program speaker will be Minnesota sports legend Lou Nanne. Nanne will speak about "The Case for the U of M Athletic Capital Campaign." Nanne is well known in Minnesota for his years playing hockey at the University of Minnesota , as well as his pro-hockey career as a player, coach and general manager with the Minnesota North Stars. He still resides in Minnesota and was color commentator for the 2013 Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament.
The meeting starts at 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club. All are welcome. Lunch is $18.
The Rotary Club of Edina is excited to announce that Andrew Zimmern will be the program speaker at the first meeting of the new Rotary year, Thursday, July 10. Zimmern, a Twin Cities native, will speak to the Club about all of his food adventures, including his hit series on the Travel Channel, Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern.
All are welcome. Lunch is $18. The meeting is held at the Edina Country Club at 12:15 p.m. on Thursday, July 10.
The heirloom clock donated to the City of Edina by the Rotary Club of Edina has been installed at Centennial Lakes Park! The clock was installed on June 27 by the Verdin Company. The donation is a culmination of more than a year of work by the Club to coordinate the gift to the city in honor of the city's 125th anniversary.
The Rotary Club of Edina will celebrate summer with its annual family picnic from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Hughes Pavilion at Centennial Lakes Park in Edina Wednesday, June 25. Rotarians are invited to bring their significant others, children, and grandchildren to participate in fun games (including facepainting seen below on this picnic participant last year) and picnic food. Cost for the picnic is free for Rotarians, $18 for adult guests, and $5 for children. There will also be a dunk tank to have a chance to send your favorite Rotarian into the water.
Because of the picnic on Wednesday, there is no Rotary Club of Edina meeting on Thursday, June 26. There is also no meeting the next week because of the Fourth of July holiday. So the next regular meeting for the Club is Thursday, July 10.
The Rotary year is coming to a close, and the Rotary Club of Edina meeting on Thursday, June 19, will mark the passing of the presidency from current President Steve Slyce to 2014-2015 President Jeff Ohe. Please join us for this important meeting, where the Club will also honor outgoing board members who worked so diligently with President Slyce, and welcome the new board who will serve with President Ohe.
Rotary Club of Edina meets at 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club. Cost for lunch is $18.
Rotary Club of Edina is proud to announce that Dr. Dan Saltzman will be the program speaker at the June 12 Rotary Club of Edina meeting. He is Associate Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota Medical School, and the Surgeon-in-Chief at the University of Minnesota Amplatz Children’s Hospital. He will speak about "Project Stealth," a research project at the University of Minnesota.
The Rotary Club of Edina meets at 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club. Price for lunch is $18. All are welcome.
Rotarian Wooj Byun is featured in this month's issue of Edina Magazine, and his photo graces the cover. Wooj talked to the magazine about his life and dedication to Rotary, including the book he has coming out soon about his journey, titled "My Rotary Journey: A Memoir of a Rotary International Ambassador."
Rotary Club of Edina member Brad Beard recently was recognized with a Grassroots Champion Award by the American Hospital Association. Brad is president at Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina.
The Rotary Club of Edina is proud to announce that Mike Ogle is a new member of our Club. Mike's classification is Aviation and Real Estate, and his sponsor to the Club was his father-in-law Thom Winninger (shown below with Mike at his induction into the Club at a recent meeting). He joined the Club on April 10. Learn more about Mike by clicking on the link below...
The Rotary Club of Edina is proud to announce that Scott Tankenoff is a new member of our Club. Scott's classification is Commercial Development, and his sponsor to the Club was Josh Sprague. He joined the Club on May 8. Learn more about Scott by clicking on the link below...
Jeff Tollefson of Genesys Works will be the program speaker at the Thursday, June 5, meeting of the Rotary Club of Edina. Tollefson will speak about "Living a Life That Matters." He is the executive directoar at Genesys Works, a non-profit organization that connects low-income high school students with internships in the corporate world.
The Rotary Club of Edina meets at 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club. All are welcome. The cost of lunch is $18.
Our own Paul Mooty, part owner of the Faribault Woolen Mills and longtime Edina Rotarian, was part of the successful bid to bring the 2018 Super Bowl to Minnesota. Blankets from Faribault Woolen Mills were part of the package presented to football team owners as the delegation from Minnesota tried to woo them to pick Minnesota as the location for the 2018 Super Bowl.
Congratulations to Paul and his team for their role in making this happen. Click on the title for more on the story...
Rotary Club of Edina's Paul Peterson is part of a story on KARE11. Anchor Julie Nelson put together a reunion of key players in Prince's Purple Rain production.
Hear Paul and learn about his amazing work. Go to KARE11.com and click on the Purple Rain story or cut and paste: http://www.kare11.com/story/entertainment/movies/2014/05/20/purple-rain-highlights-influence-on-local-music-scene/9359679/
Rotary Club of Edina will be celebrating Women in Leadership at the Thursday, May 29, meeting. The sixth-annual "Chrysanne Manoles Women in Leadership Award" will be presented, and the program speaker will be Marci Mattson, executive director of the Edina Historical Society. Edina Rotary's first female member, Chrysanne Manoles (pictured below), will once again attend the meeting to help honor this year's Women in Leadership Award winner.
The meeting will start at 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club. All are welcome. Lunch is $18.
Saturday, May 17, Rotary Club of Edina members came together to do a spring clean-up of two parks in Edina—Wooddale Park and Utley Park. Organized by Matt Boockmeier, the group had a great time cleaning up for summer, and enjoying Tom Pirsch's famous chili after their hard work.
Some lucky Rotarians got to don safety vests announcing themselves as Rotary Club of Edina members ready to clean that park!
Rotary District 5950 is inviting all area female Rotarians to A Limited Engagement! This special, invitation-only event will feature expert style advice and personalized service. It will also be a chance to network with other female Rotarians from around the metro area. Join us Wednesday, June 11, from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Limited at Southdale Center in Edina.
Rotary Club of Edina member Tim Murphy, and 2015-16 District 5950 governor, recently visited Honduras along with other Rotarians from our District. They were there for Rotary District SafeWater Plus Honduras Global Grant project. They are spending time with Rotarians from the Santa Rosa de Copan Rotary Club and employees from our collaborating partner, World Vision Honduras.
Click on the title for more information and a photo...
Not only did Rotarian Wooj Byun win a Service Above Self Award (see story above) at the District 5950 Conference May 2, the Club also won four other awards! Rotary Club of Edina was honored with Awards of Excellence in Community Service, Membership Development, Public Relations, and Youth Service. Congratulations to all the Rotarians who helped make a difference! Click on the link below for more on the awards.
Rotary Club of Edina members who attended the District Conference May 2 at the Radisson Blu at the Mall of America in Bloomington show off the awards the Club won. Shown here are (left to right) are Jennifer Bennerotte, Wooj Byun, Barbara Born, Steve Slyce, Ann Platt, Scott MacDonald, Josh Sprague, Brad Beard, and Doug Johnson.
The Rotary Club of Edina is proud to announce that Jodie Jennings is a new member of our Club. Jodie's classification is Nutrition Coaching, and her sponsor to the Club was her father, Joel Jennings (shown below with Jodie at a Rotary meeting). She joined the Club on May 8. Learn more about Jodie by clicking on the link below...
Join the Rotary Club of Edina for their Thursday, May 22, meeting where the program speaker will be former Minnesota Twin Roy Smalley. Smalley is a former member of the Edina Rotary, and is currently president of the board of directors for the Pitch in for Baseball program. He will speak about this important program.
The meeting starts at 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club. Lunch is $18 and all are welcome.
Dr. Angela Wandera will speak to the Rotary Club of Edina at their meeting Thursday, May 15. She will speak about "The Foundation: Witnessing Service in Action." Wandera is a pediatric orthodontist in Eden Prairie. Through her membership in the Rotary Club of Eden Prairie AM, she has witnessed international service through Rotary District 5950 with The Rotary Foundation.
The meeting is from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. at the Edina Country Club. Lunch is $18. All are welcome.
The Rotary Club of Edina is proud to announce that Don Hutchison is a new member of our Club. Don's classification is Financial Advisor, and his sponsor to the Club was Joe Arends. He joined the Club on April 10. Learn more about Don by clicking on the link below...
The Rotary Club of Edina is proud to announce that member Wooj Byun, a past president of the Club, received a Service Above Self Award at the District 5950 Conference on May 2. Wooj has made it his mission to honor Americans who served in the Korean War.
Wooj is pictured here with District Governor Diann Kirby at the awards breakfast at the District Conference May 2.
The Rotary Club of Edina is seeking nominees for its annual "Chrysanne Manoles Women in Leadership Award." Chrysanne Manoles was the first female member of the Club. She joined in 1988, one year before Rotary International opened up membership to qualified women across the world. The Club honors her legacy with this award, given each year since 2008.
Nominees cannot be current Rotarians and must live, work or volunteer in Edina. To nominate a woman for the prestigious award, submit a one- or two-page letter explaining how the person demonstrates the Four Way Test and what she does in the community. Letters should be sent to Rotary Club of Edina, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424 and must be postmarked by Thursday, May 15.
The 2014 Chrysanne Manoles Women In Leadership Award will be presented at a meeting of the Rotary Club of Edina May 29.
For more information on the Women In Leadership Award, contact Jennifer Bennerotte, 952-833-9520.
Congratulations to Doug Johnson! He received the Rotarian of the Year award at the City of Edina's Volunteer Recognition Event April 29. Doug has been a Rotarian since 2000 and is the director of the Public Relations Committee for the Club. He also serves on boards of several other Edina organizations, truly modeling Rotary's motto of "Service Above Self," according to Rotary Club of Edina President Steve Slyce.
Rotarian Frank Cardarelle, Edina Historical Society Board member, accepted the Mayor's Service Club of the Year Award on behalf of the Society at the City of Edina Volunteer Recognition Event April 29.
Frank's volunteer contributions are legendary with the Historical Society and Rotary Club of Edina being just two of them.
Congratulations, Frank, for your continued great work!
Frank (right) is shown at the event with Edina Mayor Jim Hovland.
The Rotary Club of Edina hosted more than 40 students from Edina High School on April 22 for Vocational Ethics Day at the Church of St. Patrick in Edina. Students, EHS staff, Rotarians, and other guests met from 8:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. to hear speakers and have in-depth discussions on vocational ethics and leadership. The program is spearheaded by Rotarian Jerry Potter, and co-sponosred by the Rotary Club of Edina and the 212 Leadership Group at EHS.
The Rotary Club of Edina will hold Vocational Day on Thursday, May 8, at the Minneapolis Media Institute in Edina. Hosted by Rotarian Paul Peterson, he will give members a tour of the Media Institute, where he is the program chair for the Recording and Music Technology department. This meeting is only open to a limited number of Rotary Club of Edina members. The meeting will start at noon at the Minneapolis Media Institute, 4100 W. 76th St., Edina, MN 55435. A box lunch will be provided by the Club. Members can register for the meeting by logging into this website and going to "Events," or by calling Marty Kupper at 952-841-2160. Registration is limited because of space, so if you plan to attend, you must register.
This meeting Thursday, May 8, at the Media Institute takes the place of the usual meeting at the Edina Country Club.
Join us Thursday, May 1, where our program speaker will be Dr. David Bahn, professor of Management Information Systems at Metropolitan State University of Minnesota. He will speak about "The MOOCs (R)evolution?: Massive Open Online Courses."
The meeting is at 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club. Lunch is $18, and all are welcome.
The annual Rotary Club of Edina fundraiser and gala will be held on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2014. This year's event, "Renez-vous in Paris," at the Sheraton Hotel in Bloomington, will be here before we know it. We can't wait for the delicious food, entertaining company, and great auction items. Bring a friend or two with you to enjoy the fabulous evening!
Au revoir!
Rotary Club of Edina members, see link for info on how to volunteer to be a member of a gala fundraiser committee!
The Rotary Club of Edina is proud to announce that Axel Steuer is a new member of our Club. Axel's classification is Higher Education Administration, and his sponsor to the Club was Gordy Lewis. He joined the Club on April 10. Learn more about Axel by clicking on the link below...
Axel is shown at a Rotary Club of Edina meeting with his wife, Loreli Ann Steuer.
Join the Rotary Club of Edina for the annual Vocational Ethics Day program Thursday, April 24, at the Edina Country Club. The meeting will start at 11:30 a.m., concluding at 1:30 p.m. The keynote speaker will be Jermaine Davis. All Area 3 Rotarians and guests are invited. Students from Bloomington, Eden Prairie, Edina, and Richfield will also be attending.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Greg Krauska as the program speaker at their Thursday, April 17, meeting at the Edina Country Club. Krauska is a volunteer ambassador for ShelterBox, a global disaster relief charity and Rotary's first recognized project partner. He will speak about "Beyond the Box: Delivering Shelter, Warmth, and Dignity."
The meeting starts at 12:15 p.m. Lunch is $18 and all are welcome.
The Rotary Club of Edina does not have a meeting April 10.
Edina Rotary Club of Edina President Steve Slyce was a guest on the KARE 11 Sunrise program on April 3. To view his segment on "Chill and grill into spring with great yard gadgets" go to http://www.kare11.com/story/life/2014/04/03/chillandgrill/7244435/
Paul Mooty and the Faribault Woolen Mill were featured in the March 24 edition of the Star Tribune. The article detailed the revival of Faribault Woolen Mill after Mooty and his cousin, Chuck Mooty, purchased the business in 2011. Click on this link to read the story and view the photo gallery: http://www.startribune.com/business/252090301.html
Longtime Rotary Club of Edina member Ed Bather and his family were featured in the recent Inventing Tomorrow magazine from the University of Minnesota. The Bather family's deep U of M roots were featured in the publication for alumni of the University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering. To see the article, go to http://cse.umn.edu/prod/groups/cse/@pub/@cse/documents/asset/cse_asset_472995.pdf and scroll to page 10.
The Edina Morningside Rotary Club (EMRC) will welcome the Rotary Club of Edina to its Tuesday, April 8, meeting at the Edina Country Club at 7:30 a.m. The joint meeting will feature program speaker Katie Clark Sieben, the commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.
There will be no usual Thursday Rotary Club of Edina meeting this week. No meeting on April 10. After the joint meeting on April 8, the next Rotary Club of Edina meeting will be Thursday, April 17.
Join us for the Thursday, April 3, Rotary Club of Edina meeting, where the program speaker will be Jean LaFavor of HealthEZ. She will speak about "Self-Funded Health Plans—Rx for Health Reform."
The lunch meeting is at the Edina Country Club from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. on April 3. Lunch is $18. All are welcome.
Please join us for our meeting on Thursday, March 27, where our program speaker will be Joe Schmit. He is the sports anchor at KSTP Ch. 5 in the Twin Cities, and is the author of a new book, "Silent Impact." He will speak about the book in a presentation titled, "Silent Impact: Influence Through Purpose, Persistence, and Passion."
The Rotary Club of Edina is proud to announce that Susan Spalding is the newest member of our Club. Sue is CEO of the Alzheimer's Association. Her classification is Non-Profit Administrator, and her sponsor to the Club was Michael Stanzak. She joined the Club on March 13. Learn more about Sue by clicking on the link below...
Please join us for the Rotary Club of Edina meeting on Thursday, March 20, where the program speaker will be Bruce Richardson. He is the vice president of corporate communications and external affairs at PolyMet Mining, and he will be speaking on "Copper, Nickel, and Precious Metals in the U.S."
The Rotary Club of Edina is mourning the loss of long-time Rotarian Don Brauer. He passed away Feb. 28 after a long battle with Parkinson's. Don was a 50-year member of the Rotary Club of Edina, as well as being instrumental in the formation of the Eden Prairie Rotary Club.
Please join the Rotary Club of Edina for the Thursday, March 13, meeting when KARE 11 chief meteorologist Belinda Jensen will be the program speaker. Jensen, an Ediina resident, will address our winter weather in a talk titled "Wow!! What a Winter!" The meeting starts at 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club.
Congratulations to Rotary Club of Edina member John Flynn on his Connecting With Kids leadership award! John was honored for his work with Rotary's Camp Enterprise at the Connecting With Kids Leadership Breakfast on Friday, Feb. 28.
Rotarian Tim Murphy (left) was on hand at the awards breakfast to help honor John Flynn.
The Rotary Club of Edina is pleased to welcome Karen Sorbo as the program speaker at the March 6 meeting. Sorbo will speak about "Becoming a Compassionate Auctioneer." The meeting is at 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club.
The Rotary Club of Edina was happy to welcome John Buttolph to the Club as a new member in December 2013. We thought we'd have John fill out a questionnaire so that his fellow Rotarians could get to know him better.
Join us for our meeting Thursday, Feb. 27, where the program speaker will be Dr. Rebecca Cogswell, a heart failure cardiologist with the University of Minnesota. She will speak about "The Prevention and Treatment of Heart Failure."
Join the Rotary Club of Edina for their Thursday, Feb. 20, meeting, where the program speaker will be Chris Brooks. He is on the faculty at North Central University, and teaches Youth and Community Development in the Center for Youth and Leadership, as well as working with a few outside organizations. He will speak about "First Things First: Protecting Kids and Families."
More than a few Rotarians were recently featured in Edina magazine's "Best of 2014" issue. In this reader's choice poll, Rotarians Matt Boockmeier, Tim Fargo, Bradley Pearson, Ann Platt, Skip Thomas, and Steven Veker were named the best in their business fields. Congratulations everyone! For more on the story, click on the title...
Scott MacDonald, Past President of the Club, was awarded the Membership Pillar distinction at the Jan. 30, 2014, meeting. He has sponsored more than 15 currently active members in the Rotary Club of Edina.
Here, MacDonald (left) is shown with his certificate and Club President Steve Slyce at the Jan. 30 meeting.
Bill Gray of Uponor North American will be the program speaker at the Rotary Club of Edina's Feb. 13 meeting. He will speak about "Uponor Innovations." The Club is also encouraging members to bring guests to the Feb. 13 meeting, as it is "Bring a Prospective Member to Rotary Day." All guests interested in membership in the Club will eat for free. Join us to learn more about the good work done by the Rotary Club of Edina!
Rotary Club of Edina member John Flynn will receive a Edina Connecting With Kids Leadership Award on Feb. 28. He is being honored for his work with area youth over many years, including chairing Camp Enterprise for the Rotary Club of Edina and Edina Morningside Rotary Club in 2013.
Please join us for our Feb. 6 meeting, where the Rotary Club of Edina will welcome singer and radio personality Patty Peterson as the program speaker. The title of Peterson's presentation is "Live Your Gift." The meeting begins at 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club.
At the Jan. 13, 2014, Rotary Club of Edina meeting, Rotarian and Minnesota State Rep. Ron Erhardts was given a Medal of Honor from the Korean government. It was presented to him by fellow Rotarian Wooj Byun. Click for more...
Please join us for our Jan. 30 Rotary Club of Edina meeting where the program speaker will be Julie Brekke, vice president of Programs, Fundraising, and Communications for Project for Pride in Living. She will speak about "PPL: Helping People Help Themselves-Four Elements of Self Sufficiency."
The Rotary Club of Edina meets at 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club.
Join us for the Rotary Club of Edina meeting on Thursday, Jan. 23, where the program speaker will be Dirk DeYoung. He will speak about "Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal's Industry Outlook." DeYoung is the editor of the MSP Business Journal. The meeting is at 12:15 p.m at the Edina Country Club.
Members of the Rotary Club of Edina were honored at the Rotary District 5950 Mid-Term Assembly on Jan. 11 for generous giving to The Rotary Foundation. The Club was third in the District for giving to TRF.
Here Club members accept a Rotary banner from Past District Governor Bob Stowell for the giving distinction. They are (left to right): Sandy Schley, Barbara Born, Ann Platt, Tim Murphy, Bob Stowell, John Flynn, Jennifer Bennerotte, Josh Sprague, and Mary Swendsen.
Join us for our meeting Thursday, Jan. 16, where program speaker Lisa Hannum will speak on "New Year, New Ideas: How PR and Digital Marketing Can Grow Your Business." Hannum is found and CEO of Beehive PR in St. Paul.
New Rotarian John Buttolph will give his classification talk at the meeting.
Join us for our first meeting of 2014, on Jan. 9, when the program speaker will be Bill Levin from Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare. We meet at 12:15 at the Edina Country Club.
There are no Rotary Club of Edina meetings on Dec. 26 or Jan. 2.
The Rotary Club of Edina celebrated the holidays as a season of giving! From assembling and delivering Thanksgiving baskets to local families in need, to donating gifts for children and families to three local organizations, as well as ringing the bell at the Salvation Army red kettle outside the Byerly's in Edina, Rotarians gave back this holiday season. For more photos from December Rotary events, see the Photo Album section on the right of this page.
Join us for the last meeting of 2014, where the program speaker will be Jim Holden, author of "Tennis in the Northland: A History of Boys' High School Tennis in Minnesota (1929–2003)." Holden will talk about Edina's boys high school tennis history.
Once again this holiday season, the Rotary Club of Edina is asking for unwrapped gifts for children of any age, as well as moms, dads, and families, as part of the Edina Rotary Holiday Giving Program. Share your holiday spirit with those in need in our community, and bring gifts to any Rotary Club of Edina meeting in December.
The Rotary Club of Edina is donating five shelter boxes to the relief effort in the Philippines, as the country deals with the effects of Typhoon Haiyan. ShelterBox is a disaster relief charity that responds instantly following natural and other disasters by delivering boxes of aid to those who need it most. Click on the title to learn more...
Rotary Club of Edina member Heather Hansen is featured in the upcoming edition of Edina Magazine! Hansen is featured in an article titled, "Edina's Philanthropic Spirit." Here is a link to the article:Edina's Philanthropic Spirit
The Rotary Club of Edina is seeking applications for their local grants program. The Club's Local Grants Committee recently adopted a new procedure for awarding local grants, including a new Grant Application Form, as well as a plan to make all annual gifting in January and February of each year.
Go to the "Download" section on the lower left of this web page to read the Local Grants Guidelines, as well as download the new Grant Application Form.
Please note that there is adeadline of December 31, 2013.
Rotary's Camp Enterprise was held Oct. 30 through Nov. 2, 2013. More than 100 juniors and seniors from 50 area high schools attended the three-day/two-night event at YMCA Camp Ihnduhapi. This year's Camp E was organized by Edina Rotarian John Flynn, as well as many volunteers from both Rotary Club of Edina and Edina Morningside Rotary Club.
Join us for the Thursday, Dec. 5, Rotary Club of Edina meeting, where the program speaker will be Hennepin County Commissioner Jan Callison. She will speak about "Counties: Minnesota's Invisible Level of Government."
Rotarian David Wohl will also give his classification talk at the meeting.
Join us for the Rotary Club of Edina meeting at 12:15 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21. The program speaker will be Robert Stevens, president and CEO of Ridgeview Medical Center in Waconia. He will speak about the medical center's footprint in the health care world, as well as recent health care changes.
There will be no Rotary meeting this Thursday, Nov. 14, due to the Veterans Day Luncheon held Nov. 11.
The Rotary Clubs of Area 3 in the southwest metro will honor our veterans at a special event Monday, Nov. 11. The Veterans Day Luncheon will be at the Minnesota Valley Country Club in Bloomington on Veterans Day. The program speaker is Rotary Club of Edina member retired General Dennis Schulstad.
Registration for this event is now closed. This counts as the regular meeting that week for Edina Rotarians. There is not Rotary Club of Edina meeting on Nov. 14.
Rotary Club of Edina members and their family, friends, and community members spent "A Night at the Sands" Oct. 12, 2013. The annual Fundraiser Gala to benefit the Edina Rotary Foundation was held at the Hotel Sofitel in Bloomington. The Fundraiser raised more than $100,000 this year! Click the link for photos from the event, or go to the Club's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rotary-Club-of-Edina/128619107201615 to view all the photos from the spectacular evening!
Rotarian Kaylin Martin poses with the "Cigarette Girls" at the Fundraiser Gala. The girls sold chocolate cigars and candy cigarettes to guests, with all money going to the Edina Rotary Foundation.
Recently, the Rotary Club of Edina held their annual Fundraiser. This video was produced for the event, with the help of Rotarian Paul Peterson. Take a look to see what our Club and Rotary is all about.
The Rotary Club of Edina and the Edina Morningside Rotary Club are looking for Edina families to host a Rotary Youth Exchange student this school year. Click on the title to read more...
Please join us for the the Nov. 7 Rotary Club of Edina meeting at the Edina Country Club, where the program speaker will be General Larry Shellito. He will speak on "Military Cutbacks and the Impact on Veterans."
Rotarian Jack Kennefick will give his classification talk at the meeting.
Please join us for our Oct. 31 meeting to hear program speaker Scott Tankenoff talk about "Pentagon Park: Reborn." Tankenoff is the managing partner of Hillcrest Development, LLLP.
The 2013-2014 Rotary Youth Exchange students Giuliano Pini and Louis Casterot are enjoying life in Edina! For photos of their recent bike ride on the Midtown Greenway, click on the link.
Join us for the Oct. 24th meeting, where the program speaker will be Jeanne Crain, president and CEO of Bremer Bank. She will speak on "Bremer Bank in the New World of Community Banking."
Rotarian Kaylin Martin will give her classification talk.
Rotary Camp Enterprise will take place from 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 31, until 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2. The goal of Camp E is to develop tomorrow’s leaders by providing students access to established business leaders and an inside look at how the free enterprise system works.
Please join us for our Oct. 17 Rotary Club of Edina meeting, which will feature Julie Steen. She is the executive director of the National Parkinson Foundation Minnesota, and will be speaking on "Serving the Parkinson's Community in Minnesota."
There will be no Oct. 10 Rotary meeting. The Rotary Club of Edina Fundraiser Gala, A Night at the Sands, will be held Oct. 12.
Join us on Thursday, Oct. 3, for a joint meeting with the Edina Morningside Rotary Club (EMRC). The guest speaker will be Twin Cities public relations pioneer Dave Mona. He will speak on "Learning from the Best."
Member Ann Goebel will give her classification talk as well.
Join us for our Sept. 26 Rotary Club of Edina where the guest speaker will be Jim Dolan. Dolan is founder, chairman, president and CEO of The Dolan Company, based in Minneapolis. The company provides information and outsourced services to the legal profession. The Dolan Company operates nationwide, and its local media properties include Finance and Commerce, Minnesota Lawyer, Politics in Minnesota and the St. Paul Legal Ledger.
Member Michael Eckert will also give his classification talk at the meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina announced that they have made a donation of $1,400 to the Edina A Better Chance Foundation (ABC). The grant is to help fund in part the ABC house in Edina where the students live. Click on title to read more...
Please join us for our Sept. 19 meeting, where the guest speaker will be Thom Olson, a Minnesota native and teacher at the University of Northwestern in St. Paul, and executive director of FreedomWorks Reentry and Aftercare in North Minneapolis.
New member Jim Brindley will also give his classification talk at the meeting. And we will have the induction ceremony for our newest member, Sonja Tengdin.
At the Rotary Club of Edina meeting on August 15, 2013, member Harold Harris received a special recognition from the government of Korea and its people. Harris was presented with the Korean Medal of Honor for his military service during the Korean War. Presenting the award was Edina Rotarian Woodrow Wooj Byun. Click on article title to read more...
Rotary Club of Edina partnered alongside Water Missions International to bring safe water to 16 communities, 25,000 people in rural Malawi. Edina Rotarian, and former club president, Tim Murphy (pictured below at a well dedication) and another former club president, Sandy Schley, were part of the project.
Please join us for our Sept. 12 Rotary Club of Edina meeting, where our speaker will be Amanda Ottman. She will be speaking on "Do You Want to Change the World? Experiences of a Rotary World Peace Fellow.
Rotary Club of Edina member Lloyd Pearson will also be giving a Past President Modified Millennium Talk (PPMMT) at the meeting.
At the Rotary Club of Edina meeting on August 15, 2013, long time member Harold Harris received a special recognition from the Korean government of Korea and its people. Harris was presented with the Korean Medal of Honor for his military service during the Korean War and this contribution to restoring peace and democracy in Korea over 60 years ago.
Presenting the award was Edina Rotarian Woodrow Wooj Byun.
Join us for our Sept. 5 meeting where the speaker will be Rotary District Governor Diann Kirby. Diann is a member of the Rotary Club of Bloomington, and the 2013-2014 Governor for District 5950.
New member Susan Johnson will also be giving her classification talk at the meeting.
Join us for our meeting on Aug. 29, where Tom McNellis and Michael Norman, both past presidents of the Rotary Club of Edina, will present a program on "Retirement Sense, Common & Preferred." And new member Sam Thompson will also be giving his classification talk at the meeting.
Join us for our Aug. 22 meeting, where Michael Swanson, an economist at Wells Fargo, will speak on "Minnesota's Agricultural Place in the Global Market."
Please join us for our Aug. 8 meeting, where Dr. Steve Battista, M.D., will speak about the Carl Platou Emergency Center at Fairview Southdale Hospital.
The Rotary Club of Edina recently awarded two local grants and three international grants summing $14,129. Local grants went to The Edina Historical Society and VEAP. The international grants went to Global Team for Local Initiative (GTLI), Kumud Bhushan Education Society and KIVA. All organizations funded have 501(c)3 nonprofit status or the non-US equivalent status.
The Edina Rotary Club Approves grants to several local and international Organizations
District Governor Bob Stowell recently presented the Rotary Club of Edina with a “No. 1 Club in District” 2011-2012 Annual Giving recognition banner and a $200 Million Challenge Certificate of Appreciation.
Edina MN, February 19, - Jane Chen was
recognized by the Rotary Club of Edina Noon on Thursday February 14th
for her generous and continued support to The Rotary Foundation. Click on Title to read more!
The Rotary Club of Edina recently have more than $19,000 in grants to seven local charities. These organizations included, Can Do Canines, YMCA Camp Ihduhapi, Boys and Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities, the City of Edina, Cornerstone Advocacy Service, and N.C. Little Memorial Hospice.
For more information or questions regarding Edina Rotary community grants, contact Grant Robinson, Director of Community Service at 952-548-8101 or grobinson@focusfinancial.com
Rotary Club of Edina gives grants totaling over $19,000 to local organizations
The Rotary Club of Edina helped raise more than $6,000 for the Salvation Army Kettle by bell ringing at the Byerly’s on France Ave- nue during the week of Dec. 17. Friday, Dec. 21 was “Ring for Ramberg Day” and Rotarians were able to raise almost $4,000 in contri- butions on that day in honor of Dick Ramberg. In addition, an anonymous donor triple matched the contributions received during the last two days of the week. The efforts of Rotarians combined with the generosity of the anonymous donor brought the grand total for the week to almost $20,000.
For more information or questions regarding Edina Rotary’s Community Service, contact Tom Bach, Director of Community Service,
at 952-943-2102.
Edina Rotary bell ringers raise over $6,000 for the Salvation Army
Paul R. Mooty, President & Chief Financial Officer, Faribault Woolen Mill Company
THE REVIVAL OF AMERICAN EXCELLENCE
The revival of American excellence is underway here in Faribault, Minnesota. The oldest manufacturing entity in the state of Minnesota dating back to 1865 is again open for business. The Faribault Woolen Mill's tremendous history and longevity is unmatched by most in the textile business. Our success has always been rooted on the company's commitment to quality and durability. And as we move forward this focus will not waiver one bit. However, we recognize that in today's highly dynamic and competitive international marketplace, the ability to meet our customer's expanding expectations for exceptional service, value and unique product design is absolutely critical. Our fully vertically integrated processing here at the Mill ensures the ability to be a viable domestic supplier for large and small customers alike. Our legacy as a family run business will continue and the Mooty's are proud to be the brand stewards for generations to come.
Featured Speaker - Lieutenant Colonel Michael Wickman
Deputy Commander Wickman is a highly decorated military veteran, having served both in Iraq and Kuwait as a member of the Army Reserve National Guard. His current assignment is Deputy Commander, 1-34 Brigade Combat Team, Minnesota National Guard.
His rise through the ranks has included military training at the Army War College, Command and General Staff College, Combined Arms and Services Staff School and Airborne School, to name a few. His civilian education includes a BA in International Relations from St. Thomas University and a degree in Minor-Middle East Politics from American University Cairo, Egypt.
Please join us on November 8th, 2012 at the SW Metro Rotary Club’s Veteran’s Day Luncheon to hear about Lieutenant Colonel Wickman’s experiences and insights associated with the military conflicts in the Middle East.
To provide high school seniors with a unique opportunity to learn about leadership, business and the free enterprise system, the Rotary Districts of Minnesota 5950 and Wisconsin 5960 will host Camp Enterprise Minnesota in late October. The cost of this unique business camp is free to the students involved. Students can register now with their local Rotary Club and find additional information available online at www.CampEnterprise.org .
Shel Mann will be discussing how Facebook/ social media gaming is evolving and how he will be taking advantage of this trend with his platform and just released first game "For The People".
President Truman once said, "Politics is a fascinating game."For The People: Fantasy Politics, gives you the chance to play that game! Live out your fantasy political career and exercise your voice on the most important issues facing our country today! Start as a freshman member of Congress, pass legislation on the issues that you’re most passionate about, participate in debates and manage your re-election campaign! Eventually, you'll be able run for the Senate and for President of the United States! Show Washington how it’s done. For The People: Fantasy Politics will be available will be available on Facebook for now. Look for browser based mobile applications in the near future.
Shel Mann founded the company "Rocket Surgeon" in April 2011 with the mission of creating fun and engaging games that model the real world. As a serial entrepreneur, Shel started two other successful companies. In 1996, he founded Big Island Publishing, Inc., a console-based video game publisher that published games with Atari, Vivendi, THQ and others. In 1983, he co-founded J3 Learning, a developer of interactive education tools and training software, which was sold in 1996 to Gartner Group (NASDAQ: GART). Shel attended the University of Minnesota and is a volunteer “ lobby leader” for AIPAC in DC and Minnesota.
Join us for our Sept 20, 2012 meeting, and hear Shel Mann's program titled "For The People: Fantasy Politics".
Diann's program "Rotary 101" will unravel the mystery behind how Rotary is organized on the local, district, regional and international level. She will discuss the current state of Rotary, current statistics about Rotary International, and give us a preview of the major branding initiatives Rotary International is planning.
District Governor nominee Diann Kirby will serve as a District 5950 Governor in 2013-2014. She joined Rotary in August 1999, and is a member of the Bloomington Noon Club.
Diann is the Community Services Director for the City of Bloomington. She is married to Newton, and their son, Newton, just finished his first year of college in Florida.
Join us for our Sept 6, 2012 meeting, and hear District Governor Nominee Diann Kirby's program titled "Rotary 101"
Brief Bio: Spent 27 years of active duty serving in the areas of applied physiology, pre-hospital emergency medicine, military medicine, combat casualty care and executive management. From 2000-2004 CAPT Bennett he served as a member of the Executive Steering Committee, Office of the Director, Navy Medical Service Corps. From June 2001 to April 2004, CAPT Bennett served as Commanding Officer, Field Medical Service School, Camp Pendleton, Ca. From June 2004 to June 2007, he served as the Commanding Officer, Naval School of Health Sciences, Portsmouth, VA. Recently Dr. Bennett served as the Research Director for combat casualty care, and Senior TCCC Trauma Instructor, Deployment Medicine International. He also served as the Combat Casualty Care Research Coordinator, CIRD, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, Portsmouth, VA, and now serves as a trauma and wilderness medicine consultant. Brad currently resides on the York River in Bena, Virginia, and is often found kayaking or boating on the river.
Join us for our Aug 30, 2012, and hear Captain Brad L. Bennett, Ph.D., retired USN 2007, talk on "Combat Casualty Care: Recent Advancements
We are embarking on another exciting Rotary year, filled with anticipation of growing clubs, rising membership and increased Rotary Foundation giving. I am very honored and excited to serve all of you this Rotary year and, considering our legacy of service, I expect we will have great success.
Rotary International President Sakuji Tanaka has chosen our annual theme, “Peace through Service.” This theme fits so well with our international mantra of “Service above Self.” I am asking each of you to personalize this theme to your Rotary actions and continue your great work so you too can experience “Peace through Service.” As we go through this Rotary year together, I also ask you to reflect on when you were first invited to join Rotary, and consider offering someone else the gift of Rotary by inviting them to join, as well.
I want to thank all of our club and district leaders for your countless hours of Rotary service. We simply could not do all the great deeds we do—locally and internationally—without the significant contributions each of you make.
Our district has several critical committees who serve our clubs. Sandy Schley will be leading us through the Future Vision process. Heather Voorhees will lead our public relations/communication area. Bruce Hedblom will be leading the Humanitarian Services area and Tom Thorfinnson will lead Club Support. Our clubs will be well served by all four of these very special leaders.
Our District Conference celebration will take place on April 19, 2013. I know we will have much to celebrate, so get this on your calendar as a ”must attend” event.
Join us for our Aug 23, 2012 and meet Bob Stowell, District Governor 5950
Last weekend, our outbound exchange student, Willis Klatt, arrived in Thailand to a warm welcome from his host Rotary club, Charoen Nakorn District 3350! Watch for updates on Willis' adventures.
Dr. James Q. Swift was born and raised in Manchester, Iowa. He is a cum laude graduate of Cornell College. He received his dental training at the University of Iowa and his oral and maxillofacial surgery training at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Dr. Swift has been a faculty member at the University of Minnesota since 1989. He is board certified by and a past President of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
Join us for our Aug 16, 2012 meeting to hear Jim Swift, D.D.S. speak about "Cleft Lip and Palate (The Rest of the Story)"
Our speaker on August 9 will be Alan Koehler, Senior Market Analyst at QuinStar Investment Partners, LLC which is based in Edina. Alan will be speaking on the Unite Edina 273 petition whose purpose is to detach property from the Hopkins School District and then annex the property to the Edina School District # 273. Since its initial development commencing in the early 1950s, the greater Parkwood Knolls has been designed to be an Edina neighborhood and consequently an integral part of the Edina community. However, due to school boundaries created seventy years earlier during Edina's agrarian age, the entirety of this neighborhood has not been part of the school system that is best situated to serve the vast majority of these families. Literally since the start of the neighborhood, parents have been seeking to change the school district boundaries. Alan Koehler will be speaking about the efforts being made by Unite Edina 273 to finally make the change so long-desired by the families in the neighborhood. In addition to providing an update on these efforts, Alan will also be speaking about the steps that have been taken to organize and engage the members of the neighborhood.
Alan, an Edina resident currently in the Hopkins School District, is leading the efforts of the Unite Edina 273 petition. This group is an independent, nonpartisan neighborhood group representing over 400 families in the greater Parkwood Knolls neighborhood in northwest Edina.
By way of background, Alan is graduate of Colgate University and George Washington University. He has been a member of serveral Board of Directors for private companies and maintains a true passion for the private business sector.
Three of our outbound exchange students attended the "bon voyage" party earlier this summer. Willis Klatt, Mackenzie Dykstra and Regan Wagner and Rolf Tengdin are our four outbound students this year. They will be traveling to Thailand, Italy and Japan. Watch for visits from these students in the coming weeks before they leave for their trips!
Donald Mark Ritchie was elected the 21st Minnesota Secretary of State on November 7, 2006. He was re-elected in 2010. He is a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. He grew up in Iowa, and graduated from Iowa State University in 1971. He and his wife, Nancy Gaschott, have lived in Minneapolis since 1986.
Join us at our Aug 2, 2012 meeting to hear, Mark Ritchie, Minnesota Secretary of State
Back by popular demand is Ryan Amacher, former Economics Professor at the University of Texas. Many of you remember he was the only speaker where the entire Rotary audience did not want him to stop speaking at 1:30. I am excited that Brad Hepp was able to get him to speak to us again, this time about "Current Economics and the Upcoming Election".
Ryan Amacher was born in Wisconsin in 1945. Ryan received his A.B. degree in Economics from Ripon College in1967 (where he later served on the Board of Trustees for 12 years) and his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Virginia in 1971. In 1971-1972 he served as a 1st Lt. in the U.S. Army Infantry. He was a faculty member and named Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma from 1972-74. In 1975, he joined Arizona State as an Associate Professor and was named Department Chairman and Full Professor in 1977. He joined Clemson University in July 1981, as Professor of Economics and Dean of the College of Commerce and Industry. He served as President of the University of Texas at Arlington from 1992 to 1995. He retired as Professor of Economics at UTA last month and moved permanently to MN. Ryan works with business leaders in helping them anticipate the impacts of political change on the business environment. He has also participated in leadership development and management training.
In addition to his university experience, Amacher has worked as a consultant to government agencies, and private corporations, including The Federal Trade Commission, The Department of Defense, the states of Arizona and South Carolina, General Electric, Milliken & Company, Fidelity, Grant Thornton, & others. During 1974-75, he was with the U.S. Treasury Department as Senior International Economist and Assistant to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Research. Amacher worked for General Electric in 1971-72, on a contract with the Pentagon on the creation of the Volunteer Army.
Join us at our Jul 26, 2012 meeting to hear, Ryan Amacher, former President of University of Texas at Arlington, back by Popular Demand
Join us on Thursday, June 28 at 12:15 p.m. at Edina Country Club for our annual Rotary transition meeting. Incoming President Scott MacDonald will lead our meeting.
Join us Thursday, June 28 for our Rotary Transition Meeting
The 2012 Chrysanne Manoles Women In Leadership Award was presented to Katey Taylor, president and co-founder of the Abby's Hope Charitable Foundation. Dr. Terri Rose of Baby Space was our featured speaker after the award presentation.
Katey Taylor is president and co-founder of the Abbey's Hope Charitable Foundation. Katey had been a "typical" stay-at-home mom until June 29, 2007. It was on that summer evening that one of her four daughters, 6-year-old Abbey, was disemboweled by a faulty drain in a wading pool. Over the next nine months Abbey would endure 16 surgeries and a triple-organ transplant, before finally losing her battle in March 2008.
Abbey's hope was that what happened to her would never happen to another child. In her name, the Taylors formed Abbey's Hope Charitable Foundation in July 2008. To fulfill Abbey's legacy, Katey and her husband, Scott, work to advocate for children and to educate parents, community leaders and others of the dangers in and around pools.
For more information about Katey Taylor and Abbey's Hope Charitable Foundation go to http://abbeyshope.org
See photos from this meeting in the Photo Album section of this website.
Edina Rotarian Jennifer Bennerotte was recognized as the Edina Chamber of Commerce's Business Person of the Year at the Chamber's Annual Meeting on May 23. Jennifer is only the third Edina City employee to receive this award, and the first City employee who is not a City Manager. Congratulations to Jennifer on her outstanding service! Well-deserved!
Edina Rotarian Jennifer Bennerotte recognized as Edina Chamber's "Business Person of the Year"
Edina, Minn., May 7, 2012 – The Rotary Club of Edina was recently recognized by City of Edina Mayor James Hovland and the Southdale YMCA for its contributions to the local community.
Scott MacDonald attended the Rotary Convention in Bangkok last week. He shared this photo of a dinner he and his wife, Ann, attended, along with Chris McGinty (Edina Rotary) and his wife Jane (President-Elect of Eden Prairie Rotary) and Rich and Lindsey Kurhajetz (Lindsey is VP of the South Metro Minneapolis Rotary Club). The restaurant was outdoors on the 65th floor of the State Tower, and is the restaurant where Hangover II was filmed.
President-Elect Scott MacDonald Represents Edina Rotary at Rotary Convention in Bangkok
Tim Murphy and John Flynn are in Kenya, and Tim sent along two photos from their trip. The first is a photo of the construction at the New Heshima Children’s Center. Tim notes that they hope to move into the completed first building in about a month. The second photo shows the group leaving Nairobi for Amboseli Safari.
Edina, Minn.,
April 13, 2012 – The Rotary Club of Edina
was recognized with seven awards at the Rotary International District 5950 Awards
Program on April 13, 2012. Awards are presented to clubs who have successfully
implemented new programs or made substantial improvements to existing programs,
and to individual Rotarians who have made significant contributions to their
clubs.
In Peru, over 70 percent of Lima’s drinking water comes from the Rimac River, which is polluted with high levels of cadmium, copper, lead, zinc, and arsenic. The Rotary Foundation and its partners supplied water filters to 5,000 families living along the river. This short video about Rotary’s impact in Maria’s community is just one example of the life-saving work being done by Rotarians.
March 21, 2012-Applications
for Rotary Peace Fellowships, an international 15-to-24-month scholarship program to earn a master’s degree in international studies and peace and conflict resolution, are due to local Rotary clubs by April 1, 2012.
The Rotary Club of Edina hosted an open house for new and prospective members on Thursday, March 8, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Edina Country Club, 5100 Wooddale Avenue. See "Photo Albums" to view all photos.
Rotary Club of Edina Hosts Open House for New Members, March 8
Thanks to former Gopher football head coach Glen Mason for an inspiring presentation.
Congratulations to Gordy Lewis for his contributions as a major donor.
Edina, Minn., Feb. 17, 2012 –The Rotary Club of Edina seeks nominees for the fifth-annual “Chrysanne Manoles Women In Leadership Award, ” celebrating the work of women in the community. To nominate a woman for the prestigious award, submit a one- or two-page letter explaining how the person demonstrates the Four Way Test and what she does in the community. Letters should be sent to Rotary Club of Edina, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina,
MN 55424 and be postmarked by Friday, April 13.
Edina, Minn., Dec. 08, 2011 –The Rotary Club of Edina sponsored one of 50 recipients in the worldwide
2011 Rotary Peace Fellowship program. Rotary Peace Fellows are selected
annually based upon their dedication to peace and conflict resolution,
community leadership, professional experience and academic achievement. Minneapolis resident Dragana Vidovic, news and
legislation associate for World Without Genocide and a survivor of the 1990s
war in Bosnia,
will use the award to pursue a master's degree in peace and conflict
resolution.
Edina, Minn., Sept. 28, 2011 – The Rotary Club of Edina salutes its ‘everyday heroes’
who have saved 789 lives through blood donations. The club has held blood
drives twice a year since 2003 with a goal to reach a thousand lives saved.
Although most people will never rescue someone trapped in a burning building,
free a victim from a twisted car, or help a drowning person reach shore, nearly
everyone can donate blood or assist in a drive to save a life.
The blood drives are held at the Edina Country Club, 5001 Woodale Avenue, Edina, and are open to the public.All donations go to Memorial Blood Centers of
Minnesota,
which distributes blood to hospitals throughout the Twin Cities metropolitan
region.These donations help our own
community.
To participate in Rotary’s next blood drive, contact
Edina Rotarian Dr. Ellen Kennedy at 952-693-5206 or kennedy@worldwithoutgenocide.org
The
Rotary Club of Edina meets Thursdays at 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club, 5100 Wooddale Ave.
For more information about the Rotary Club of Edina, visit www.EdinaRotary.org. For membership
information, contact Membership Director Leslie Kreofsky, 952-929-2569 or leslie@kreofsky.com.
Pictured donating blood:Scott Neal, Edina City Manager and member of The Rotary Club of Edina.
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Edina, Minn.,
August 4, 2011 –The Rotary Club
of Edina is accepting applications from non-profit organizations in Edina and its contiguous
communities for grants to be used for capital purchases.
Each year, the Rotary Club of Edina raises money
at a fall fundraiser to support its projects and award grants. In 2010, more
than $71,000 was raised for the Club’s service projects and local and
international grants.
“The Edina Noon Rotary, which meets every Thursday, works
diligently to help those less fortunate,” said Community Service Projects
Funding Director Grant Robinson. “Rotary’s motto is ‘service above self.’ To
that goal, the Edina Noon Rotary holds a fundraiser each year during October.
Tremendous effort is made by the members to raise money that is then granted to
non-profit organizations within the community and the surrounding area.”
During
the last Rotary year, the club made grants of more than $54,000 to those in
need. Grants were also made to emergency food organizations, domestic abuse support
and prevention organizations, inner-city youth and family organizations, and
other groups serving people in need. While the Club’s Grants Committee does not
fund working capital, it approves various other requests that enable these
organizations to provide their services to those in need.
Grant applications are
available online at www.edinarotary.org
or by e-mailing Grant Robinson at grobinson@focusfinancial.com.
The
Rotary Club of Edina meets Thursdays at 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club, 5100 Wooddale Ave.
For more information about the Rotary Club of Edina, visit www.EdinaRotary.org. For membership
information, contact Membership Director Leslie Kreofsky, 952-929-2569 or leslie@kreofsky.com.
Rotary Club of Edina accepting applications for grants
Edina, Minn., July 25, 2011 –
The Rotary Club of Edina ranked first in District 5950 in giving to The
Rotary Foundation during its 2010-2011 fiscal year.
July is the start of the Rotary year, and with that, new Rotary Club of Edina President Jeff Ohe took the gavel from Past President Steve Slyce at the transition meeting June 19.
Ohe will be president of the Club from July 2014 through June 2015. Along with a new president, the new Rotary year means board transitions as well. Thanks to Steve Slyce for his service in the past Rotary year, and to all outgoing board members for their years of service!
It is time for district conferences! This year the format will change from a two day event to One Day Fun Day! Flexible meal options (a la carte or full meal plans) and early bird specials are available. At the event there will be Relavant speakers, Awards Presentations, performance by our very own District Choir the "Rotary Rooters", Live Music, Comedy, and even a Canine Demostration!
This event is open to all Rotarians, so if you have not attended a district conference in the past, try it out this year! Follow www.Register5950.com to register today!
Our speaker this Thursday will be John DeSanto, a long-standing insurance professional who reviewed insuring the Nortwestern National Bank building in 1982. John is a Senior Production Specialist with Keystone Specialty Risk which is a wholesale broker focusing on Property Insurance placement and consulting services. John has been active in the insurance business for nearly 40 years and also dedicates time to providing educational services to the insurance industry.
Join us for our Dec 6, 2012 meeting to hear John DeSanto from Keystone Specialty Risk
Through local and international service projects and activities, Rotarians give back to the communities they serve. The Rotary Club of Edina promotes peace and good will internationally through projects in Kenya, India and Panama. Locally, Edina Rotary members participate in projects at Jeremiah House and pack meals with Feed My Starving Children. Click on the title to see a video on Rotary Club of Edina service—at the heart of all we do.
Edina, Minn., Nov 8, 2012 – The Rotary Clubs of Edina along with the Rotary clubs of Maple Grove, Plymouth, Eden Parairie, Rogers, City of Lakes, Richfeild and Chaska will be hosting a Groub Study Exchange team from India in April, 2013.
Since 1965, the Group Study Exchange program has provided inspiring vocational, educational, and cultural experiences for more than 70,000 men and women. The Rotary Foundation’s Group Study Exchange (GSE) program is a unique cultural and vocational exchange opportunity for businesspeople and professionals between the ages of 25 and 40 who are in the early stages of their careers. The program provides travel grants for teams to exchange visits in paired areas of different countries. For four to six weeks, team members experience the host country's culture and institutions, observe how their vocations are practiced abroad, develop personal and professional relationships, and exchange ideas.
Edina Rotary has been involved with GSE teams from Thailand, Korea, Finland and Brazil and has sent teams to Lebanon and Korea, to name a few. For more information on GSE, click here.
Edina Rotary to host GSE team from India in May 2013
Our April 12 meeting celebrating Vocational Ethics Day 2012, was held at the Park Plaza Hotel in Bloomington and featured guest speaker, Kenneth Goopaster, Professor and Endowed Chair in Business Ethics, at the University of St. Thomas. See "Photo Albums" for more photo highlights.
Highlights from Our April 12 Meeting, Vocational Ethics Day, Park Plaza Hotel, Bloomington.
Thanks to Minnesota Twins broadcaster Dick Bremer for his great presentation and preview of the Twins' 2012 season; and thanks to Jean Morrison for honoring Wally Houts. See the "Photo Albums" for full pictures.
Eric Kaler, President of the University of Minnesota, spoke to the Rotary Club of Edina on Thursday, February 2 at Interlachen Country Club. Dr. Kaler's informative presentation highlighted the impact of state funding on University of Minnesota financials, the university's emphasis on research and education, and the benefits U of M grads deliver both to the state of the Minnesota and the world. Go Gophers!
University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler Speaks to Edina Rotary on February 2
Renee Alexander began serving as CEO of the Minnesota State Fair in May of 2023. With over two decades of experience in various leadership roles within the fair, she has played a key role in shaping the event into one of the largest and best attended events in North America.
Mike Olson
Heather Edelson is a County Commissioner on the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners and was elected in May of 2024. She represents District 6 of Hennepin County, which encompasses 16 cities, including Hopkins, Edina, Minnetonka, Orono, Excelsior and Wayzata. Commissioner Edelson's topic will be a Hennepin County Update. Her latest newsletter can be found 
Bryan Piatt is a mental health therapist, specializing in supporting people living with OCD and anxiety. He is a former news anchor and reporter at KARE 11, and the host of the “Take What Serves. Leave the Rest” podcast—which creates a safe space to talk about mental health.
Topic: If I were an online predator...
Kaleena Burkes, Director for Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls, "Breaking Barriers: The Historic Journey of the Office for Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls"
Edina Mayor James B. Hovland and Edina Public Schools Superintendent Stacie Stanley will present the 2025 State of the Community Tuesday, March 4. 
Thank you to Rotary Club of Edina members for your generous donations of money, gift cards, toys and clothing for our 30th year of the Holiday Gift Giving Program. 
The first speaker, Alex Merritt, The Love Engineer, is on a mission to bring logic to love. Her workshops and keynotes on communication and team connection deliver practical and actionable strategies that transform lives.
Hennepin County Sheriff, Dawanna S. Witt, was elected as the Hennepin County Sheriff on November 8, 2022. She was sworn in and took office on Tuesday, January 3, 2023. She is the first woman and person of color to hold the office. 
Dave Lee, who was recently inducted into the Minnesota Broadcast Hall of fame, spent 32 years at WCCO radio, 29 on the morning show. He has been recognized with Murrow awards, numerous associated press and northwest news broadcast awards, the National Association of Broadcasters as Minnesota’s sportscaster of the year 6 times. also nominated for the national Marconi award. Dave will speak about how media has changed and how his favorite stories impacted his life. Click “More” for additional Dave Lee details. 
Join us to hear Kirk Richards, VP and Chief Administrator at Starkey Hearing Foundation speak. SHF, a global nonprofit founded by William F. Austin, gives the gift of hearing to people in need in the U.S. and around the world. According to the World Health Organization, disabling hearing loss affects around 466 million people worldwide, including 34 million children, yet many do not have access to the hearing healthcare. Our mission is to give the gift of hearing to those in need, empowering them to achieve their potential.
Mid-winter 2024, Daniel Crawford could have never imagined that he would walk 1,000 miles across the country.
It is time for the Fall Fireside Chats and we are looking for several volunteers to host events at their homes in the month of October/November. Days and times can be flexible to your schedule. If you would like to host a Fireside Chat, or are a new member and want to know more about these events, please contact Julie Westbrock. 
Sharon is our District Governor for Rotary year 2024 to 2025 and her home club is Minneapolis Rotary Club #9. She celebrates her 21st anniversary in Rotary this year!
In collaboration with Edina Morningside Rotary Club, Wed., Oct 2 will the first of our 2024-25 rotary year member mixers designed to get to know our members and their careers in a very casual networking environment. 
Gilbert Davison is a native Minnesotan with over 35 years of experience in the music, business, and entertainment industries.
Sept 2024 Event - Thursday, Sept 19, 5:30-7pm. 
Pilar Gerasimo is an award-winning health journalist, pioneering social explorer, podcaster and author of The Healthy Deviant: A Rule-Breaker’s Guide to Being Healthy in an Unhealthy World (North Atlantic Books, 2020). 
President Paul Peterson announced the date, theme and location for this year's Edina Rotary Foundation fundraiser. Please mark Saturday, September 28 as the date to party at "The Purple Gala". The location will be the internationally known Paisley Park in Chanhassen. Rotary Club of Edina event tickets are now on sale. Price is $225. ORDER 
Andrea Swensson grew up in Moose Lake, Minnesota, and started writing about music as a teenager in a diary she hid under her mattress. She briefly contemplated a career as a classically trained concert pianist at Hamline University, and later studied creative writing at Metro State. In 2007, she co-founded and was managing editor at 
Sami Cowger has been the Edina Girls High School head hockey coach for 8 seasons. An Edina Alum herself, Sami played hockey for Edina from 2007-2011 and then continued her hockey career at Harvard University where she played 4 years of college hockey. While at Harvard, Sami amassed 108 career points and captained her team to the National Title game in 2015. Coach Cowger will be joined by recent EHS graduate and varsity hockey player, Nora McConnell.
Smalley is a former professional baseball shortstop who played in Major League Baseball for 13 years for teams including the Minnesota Twins. He is now an analyst for Bally Sports North. Souhan is a sports columnist for the Star Tribune known for his coverage of the local sports scene in Minnesota. Click "Read More" for details about the careers for each speaker.
One of the state’s largest service organizations will have a significant presence at the 2024 Minnesota State Fair Saturday, Aug. 24.
Got a new look? Was your last Rotary profile picture a scanned B/W from your high-school year book? Photographer Jason Heuer has agreed to take 
Looking to make a difference in Edina? Get more involved in the community? Meet new people?
Last minute bus seats available. Register 
Founded by Mick Sterling in 2011, The 30-Days Foundation, a Twin-Cities based 501 c3 non-profit, has provided one-time financial grants made payable only to the service provider for Minnesota residents. The foundation has fulfilled nearly 110,000 requests for assistance for matters such as back rent, first month rent, utility bills, medical bills, school clothes, car repairs, sober house assistance, birth certificate renewals, moving fees, storage fees and more. In effect, the everyday financial obligations that if remain unpaid, lead to further debt and potential eviction from homes or apartments, vehicle being repossessed and more. Click here for short 
Joe Schmit is an award-winning broadcaster, community leader, an author and popular keynote speaker. He is a 2019 inductee into the Minnesota Speakers Hall of fame and has earned his CSP (Certified Speaking Professional) designation from the National Speakers Association. He has won 19 Emmys from the National Television Academy. In 2020, Joe was awarded The Silver Circle designation by the Upper Midwest Chapter of the Emmys for extraordinary contributions to the broadcasting industry. He was also honored with a National Headliner Award in 2001.
Eidsness, who joined the club in 2013, co-chaired the Edina Rotary Foundation’s annual fundraiser, “Bootleggers’ Ball.” A talented graphic designer, Eidsness designed the logo and materials for the 2023 fundraiser, as well as materials for most of the club’s fundraisers for the past decade. She is also a longtime member of the club’s Public Image Committee and was an instrumental member of the Program Committee for the 2023-2024 Rotary year, finding and assisting speakers for weekly meetings.
Bob Scott, a member since 2023, was named the club’s Volunteer of the Year. Scott served on the club’s Fundraiser, Scholarships and Women in Leadership Award committees.
Jennifer Bennerotte was presented with a Distinguished Service Award. She co-chaired the annual fundraiser with Eidsness; chaired the Scholarships, Women in Leadership Award and third-grade literacy program committees and served on the Community Service – Local Grants and Public Image committees.
The Rotary Club of Edina, with support from the 50th & France Business & Professional Association and Explore Edina, will host the sixth-annual Edina Car Show noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, in downtown Edina. This a free to attend event and you can get the latest details by clicking 
Mark Saturday, September 14, Noon to 4 pm to participate or attend (free) the 6th Annual Edina Car Show. Follow social media posts on Instagram, @edinacarshow, Facebook, Edina Car Show, You Tube @ edinacarshow for the latest details, corporate sponsors and special promotions.
Celebrated musician and community advocate Paul “St. Paul” Peterson will be inducted as the Rotary Club of Edina’s 70th President at the group’s weekly meeting Thursday, June 27.
The June 27, 2024 meeting will mark the 70th presidential transition for the Rotary Club of Edina. During this meeting current president, Shelly Loberg, will hand over the presidential duties to Paul Peterson. Paul joined the Edina Rotary Club in November 2012. His sponsor is Paul Mooty and his classification is Entertainment. The 2024-25 board of directors will be President, Paul Peterson; President Elect, Lisa Walker; Treasurer, Gerry Norton; Secretary; Erica Allenburg; Past President, Shelly Loberg. 2024-25 Committee Directors are: Community Grants-Local, Nick Van Beek; Youth Services, Eli Groenendyk; International Grants, Jennifer Hendrickson; Social Activities, Julie Westbrock; Community Service Projects, Nikki Ahlgren; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Jamal Adam; Public Image, Chris Laskowski; Club Administration, Mike Martiny; Membership, Brent Lundell and Vinita Steffl; Rotary Foundation, Raj Kumar.
Katy Kirchner
MEETING LOCATION - The District Edina!! 
Feroza Mehta is the editor of Edina Magazine, bringing her wealth of experience from a diverse journalism background. A passionate advocate for autism awareness and acceptance, Feroza's commitment to meaningful storytelling extends beyond her editorial role. With a love of writing found as a high school newspaper reporter, she sharpened her skills at Ottawa’s Carleton University in the bachelor of journalism program before pursuing a master's in international journalism at City University of London. Feroza's impactful career includes reporting for Citytv and CTV, as well as contributing to the Calgary Herald. Her journey reflects a dedication to journalistic excellence and a profound commitment to social advocacy. She was born and raised in Canada and moved to the United States in 2006.
Todd Milburn, was appointed as chief of the Edina Police Department in 2021. Milburn, who began his career as a community service officer in 1992, has held various roles including patrol officer, SWAT officer, and public information officer. He aims to advance Edina's Police Department through contemporary policing practices and team collaboration.
Andrew Slama, with 15+ years of fire service experience, became Edina's fire chief in 2021. Slama continues the excellent public safety legacy of Edina Fire's Department and credited a colleague for introducing him to firefighting during his carpentry days. His journey included roles in various fire departments before returning to Edina as paramedic. The City Council and Mayor welcomed him back, commending his fit for the community's needs, while Slama emphasized the department's commitment to residents' safety.
Odell Wilson is the VP/COO of The Redemption Project and retired Supervising U.S. Probation and Pre-trial Services Officer. He attended Penn State University on an athletic scholarship and was a member of the 1986 National Championship football team. In 1989 Odell graduated with a degree in rehabilitation education and then attended graduate school at Penn State University, where he received a master's degree in counselor education. He retired as a Federal Probation Officer with 27 years of service, the last five years as a supervisor. Click 
Samuel is the Board Chair of the Minnesota Black Chamber of Commerce and is Program Officer with the Minneapolis Foundation. The Minnesota Black Chamber of Commerce is committed to serving Black-owned businesses and their communities through access to education, advocacy and economic development. Their goal is to maximize the potential of every Black-owned business, large or small, by providing equitable opportunities for growth at every stage. More MBCC information can be found 
MEETING LOCATION - The District Edina!! 
The City of Edina will host a blood drive for Memorial Blood Centers 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 27, in the Council Chambers of Edina City Hall, 4801 W. 50th St. According to the Memorial Blood Center, the Twin Cities faces a high demand for blood. Those in need include cancer patients; accident, burn and trauma victims; newborn babies and mothers delivering babies; transplant recipients; surgery patients; chronically transfused patients with sickle cell disease; and many more. Save time by completing your health history questionnaire online on the day of your donation 
MEETING LOCATION - The District Edina!! REGISTER HERE Next Vocational Mixer formerly known as Vocational/Avocation Happy Hour is Wednesday, March 6, 2024. 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. meet and greet. 
A multi-media content creator, Roshini Rajkumar is a licensed attorney whose first career as a TV broadcaster laid the groundwork for her current life as a talk show host and C-suite strategist and crisis coach.
IT'S OFFICIAL- Monday, February 19 is State Capitol Rotary Awareness Day - 
Alexis Bailly Vineyard, Minnesota’s oldest winery, lies in the lush Upper Mississippi River Valley. Founded in 1973, this small family-owned vineyard and winery near Hastings has won national acclaim for its table wines, thus earning Minnesota unlikely fame in in the wine drinking world.
Eat, Drink and Be Merry! 
Karl grew up within a family that valued hard work and a can-do attitude as two important instruments in the toolbox of life. He has implemented lessons learned from his family to his real passion, small business. For the last 20 years, he has been the co-owner of Cooks of Crocus Hill. Cooks is a brand driven, independent specialty culinary retailer and educator grounded in the belief that Life Happens in the Kitchen. In addition to a myriad of "Best of" Award designations, Cooks has been the recipient of the Global Innovator Award from the International Housewares Association.
MEETING LOCATION - The District Edina!! Next Vocation/Avocation Happy Hour is Wednesday, November 1, 2023. 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. including drinks and snacks You will have the opportunity to meet and greet Edina Morningside Rotarian, Kelly Tanke Kirk. Kelly is an accomplished mortgage advisor with a passion for empowering families to achieve their financial goals. Since 2017, she has been a prominent figure in the mortgage industry, guiding individuals, and families toward a brighter financial future. Join us at The District Edina, 7777 Washington Ave, Suite 201, Edina MN 55439. Cost to attend is a $20.00 donation for food and beverages. 
Jewelie has been a member of the Minneapolis City of Lakes Rotary Club since 2005 and is also an associate member of the Rotary eClub of Global Travelers. Jewelie is honored to be the 2023-24 District Governor for Rotary District 5950.
Steve Grove is CEO and Publisher of Star Tribune. Previously, he was Gov. Tim Walz’s commissioner of employment and economic development, where he led the administration’s efforts to grow and protect the Minnesota economy and its workers through a dynamic and challenging four years in state history. Prior to that, Grove spent 12 years as an executive at Alphabet’s Google and most recently was the founding director of the Google News Lab, which was developed to help media companies and startups drive innovation in the news industry.
Rotary Club of Edina Past President Joe Hayes recently recognized a Rotarian for outstanding service to the club and community. John Buttolph was named “Rotarian of the Year.”
Shelly Loberg was recently inducted as President of the Rotary Club of Edina..png)
The foundation of the Rotary Club of Edina recently awarded a grant of $2,100 to Cornerstone.
Kate Roberts loves a good story--a perspective she brings to her work as Senior Exhibit Developer at the Minnesota Historical Society. She and her colleagues have produced tons of story-rich, visitor-centered exhibits for MNHS’s flagship museum and for its network of historic sites. She was the lead developer for The Life and Art of Charles M. Schulz, currently on view at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul.
Frank Bures is the author of The Geography of Madness, which Newsweek called one of the best travel books of the decade, editor of Under Purple Skies: The Minneapolis Anthology. He has written more than 200 articles for Rotary Magazine, including more than a decade of "Culture" columns, which are collected in The Shape of the World: Essays on Travel, Culture and Belief from Rotary Magazine.
The Rotary Club of Edina held its transition meeting of the 2022–2023 Rotary year, June 29. The presidency of the club transferred from Joe Hayes to Shelly Loberg at the meeting. Shelly officially took over as the 69th president of the Rotary Club of Edina on July 1. Incoming President Loberg outlined her goals for the new Rotary year, and unveiled the 2023-2024 Rotary theme, "Create Hope in the World." "Read More" for further details and check out the pictures under the "In Review" caption.
Shayla Reaves joined WCCO in December 2020 as an anchor and reporter, contributing to the morning and mid-morning, and anchoring noon newscast. 
In 2003, Kim Valentini stepped away from a career as a corporate public relations and marketing executive to evaluate what was missing in her life. Fueled by a desire to find meaning and to be a voice for women and children, she launched a 5-hour a week “service project” that would quickly become a global force. Twenty years later Kim’s “project”, Smile Network International, has resulted in the presence of 24 medical surgical sites in 13 countries, on 5 continents. More than 4,500 children have received the gift of a life-altering surgery as a result of the work of the organization she founded. Here is the link to Smile Network International for additional information https://www.smilenetwork.org
JUNE 29 LAST DAY TO DONATE! Give your money to Raj or Becci. This year there is a challenge between The Rotary Club of Edina and Edina Morningside Rotary Club to see which club will get the highest percentage of members to donate $25 or more to The Rotary Foundation. We would like to get 100% participation during this campaign and show EMRC we are the "Best Club in the Universe". Please Read More on how you can participate.
The Rotary Club of Edina recently presented three scholarships to deserving students at Edina High School.
MEETING LOCATION - The District Edina!! Next Vocation/Avocation Happy Hour is Wednesday, August 2, 2023. 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. including drinks and snacks on the District patio with indoor seating if the weather is having a moment. You will have the opportunity to meet and greet Julie Westbrock. As the Vice President of Business Development for Trust Point, Inc., Julie’s job might sound boring, but it definitely is not. She’ll describe and tell stories about the fascinating world of trusts and estates from the perspective of a professional fiduciary. Julie is a member of the Edina Rotary club. Join us at The District Edina, 7777 Washington Ave, Suite 201, Edina MN 55439. Cost to attend is a $20.00 donation for food and beverages. 
Rotary Club of Edina Annual Family Picnic
Thousands of children and adults in remote villages of Tanzania will see a brighter future with improved access to medical eye care examinations, screenings and provision of prescription eyeglasses, thanks to a $20,000 humanitarian grant project sponsored by the Rotary Club of Edina with support of local clubs in Rotary District 5950, Dodoma (Tanzania) Rotary Club and Tanzania Health Partners.
The Rotary Club of Edina Spring Fireside Chat schedule will begin Tuesday, May 14. Club member hosted these small and casual social gatherings give experienced and freshman Rotarians the opportunity to get to know each other and learn about Rotary. Usually held in the host member's home as a come and go timed gathering, it's a nice way to conversationally and personally connect with your fellow Rotary friends. You're invited to attend all the scheduled chats or pick one that works best with your schedule. To allow the host to prepare, please register for each gathering you plan to attend. Please let 
MEETING LOCATION - The District Edina!! Next Vocational Mixer formerly known as Vocational/Avocation Happy Hour is Wednesday, Dec 6, 2023. 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. meet and greet. Our speaker will be Stephen Carlton, PPC, Owner, CEO & President of Carlton Investment Services Group. He helps his clients pursue their goals by planning for the future and managing assets from their 20's through their retirement years. His investment strategy focuses on long-term, well diversified investment programs. His clients range from young professionals and families to high net worth individuals, including business owners and retirees. Steve is a member of the Edina Rotary Club. Join us at The District Edina, 7777 Washington Ave, Suite 201, Edina MN 55439. Cost to attend is a $10.00 food/$20 for food and beverages. 
Speaker: Dr. Jamal Adam, 826 MSP Next Vocation/Avocation Happy Hour is Wednesday, October 4, 2023, 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. meet and greet. Our speaker and host will be Jamal Adam, 826 MSP, Executive Director. 826 MSP amplifies the voices, stories, and power of K-12 BIPOC students through writing, publishing, and leadership programs. Read more below or click 
MEETING LOCATION - The District Edina!! Next Vocation/Avocation Happy Hour is Wednesday, Sept 6, 2023. 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. meet and greet. Our speaker will be Jack Lee, Executive Director of Voyageur Outward Bound School. VOBS is a non-profit using wilderness trips to help people see their true potential for character, leadership and service. Jack is a member of the Edina Morningside Rotary club. Join us at The District Edina, 7777 Washington Ave, Suite 201, Edina MN 55439. Cost to attend is a $20.00 donation for food and beverages. 
We need six volunteers for the May 17, 2023 bag pack event. This will be our last VEAP packing event for the Rotary year. Please 
An Edina Rotarian who leads the Edina Rotary Global Scholars program at Edina High School was named the 2023 AFS-USA Global Educator of the Year.
MEETING LOCATION - The District Edina!! Next Vocation/Avocation Happy Hour is Wednesday, April 5, 2023. 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. meet and greet. Our speaker and host will be Ted Goltzman, Commonwealth Development Corporation Vice President of Development. He works with local and state agencies, community partners and private lenders and investors to develop affordable housing facilitating all aspects of the development process from site selection, financial structuring, construction, and project lease-up. Read more below or click 
MEETING LOCATION - The District Edina!! Next Vocation/Avocation Happy Hour is Wednesday, March 1, 2023. 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. meet and greet. Our speaker and host will be C-Vision owner, Chris Laskowski. C-Vision is a video production business that creates marketing and training videos, documentaries, drone photography and live performance video recordings. Chris is a 20-month member of the Edina Rotary Noon club serving on the Public Relations and Club Administration committees. Read More for Chris's bio and join us at The District Edina, 7777 Washington Ave, Suite 201, Edina MN 55439. Cost to attend is a $15.00 donation for food and beverages. 
MEETING LOCATION - The District Edina!! 
MEETING LOCATION - The District Edina!! Next Vocation/Avocation Happy Hour is Wednesday, February 1, 2023. 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. meet and greet. Our speaker and host will be Habitation Furnishing + Design founder and host, Gregory Rich. Greg is a member of the Edina Rotary Noon club, radio/podcast celebrity, innovator of style and unpredictably witty. Come and join us at The District Edina, 7777 Washington Ave, Suite 201, Edina MN 55439. Cost to attend is a $15.00 donation for food and beverages. 
The Rotary Club of Edina’s Board of Directors recently approved the applicant below for membership:
General admission tickets may still be available for "The Peterson Family Christmas - Twas the Jam Before Christmas" at the Dakota on Sunday, December 18 at 7:00 PM. Call Dakota box office at 612-332-5299.
Todd Milburn
Vinita Steffl
Julianne Cords
Edina Rotarian Tim Murphy was recently awarded the Regional Service Award for a Polio Free World for 2021-2022 by Rotary International in recognition of significant active personal service toward the goal of polio eradication. He was one of only eight Rotarians or Rotaractors worldwide to receive this competitive award.
Rotary Club of Edina President Michael Stanzak recently recognized two Rotarians for outstanding service to the club and community. Katy Koch Campbell and Ryan Wilson were each named “Rotarian of the Year.”
Joe Hayes was recently inducted as President of the Rotary Club of Edina. An Edina native and 1980 graduate of Edina East High School, Hayes is a Manufacturer Representative of sustainable food packaging for D.C. Brown, Inc. He and his wife, Kris, live in Excelsior and have two adult daughters, Kelly and Lauren. Hayes has been a member of the Rotary Club of Edina since 2000 and held many roles. A Multiple Paul Harris Fellow, Hayes says his most rewarding work has been in youth service, helping with Ethics Day, Camp Enterprise and STRIVE, in particular. Hayes credits his years in Rotary to expanding his network and making him a better person with the purpose of “Service Above Self.”
Mike believes, “It’s more than what we accomplish – it’s who we become along the journey!” His mission is to Lift Others, helping people discover their potential, embrace a growth mindset and achieve at inspired levels. Mike has transformed businesses and inspired people to perform at levels they didn’t think possible. Click "Read More" and visit 
If you love being in a parade, join us on Monday, July 4th. The two Edina Rotary clubs are uniting to walk and hand out mini American flags with our logo on it. “Louise,” the classic Stanzak Bicentennial El Dorado convertible, will be escorting new President Joe Hayes and his wife Kris. Kids are welcome! Wear your Rotary apparel. Sign up with Katy Campbell, Public Image director.
The June 23 meeting was our club and foundation's board transition meeting. 2021-2022 President Michael Stanzak handed over the gavel to 2022-2023 President Joe Hayes. The program reflected on and celebrated the 2021-2022 club and foundation achievements. Awards were presented to those board and committee members who have fulfilled their service term: Bridget Hallstrom, Membership; Susan Johnson, Social, Lisa Walker, Community Projects, Ann Platt, Director-at-Large, Sam Thompson, Board Officer. Rotarian of the Year awards were received by Ryan Wilson, Community Local Grants and Katy Campbell, Public Image Director. There will be an opportunity to welcome and get to know our incoming 2022-2023 board and committee members at the next Rotary Club of Edina meeting on Thursday, July 7, 2022 at the Edina Country Club.
Topic: Enriching Lives by Helping People Make Music
The 2022 Chrysanne Manoles Women In Leadership Award will be presented this Thursday, June 9, at the Rotary Club of Edina meeting at the Edina Country Club. This is the thirteenth Women in Leadership Award given, named after Chrysanne Manoles, the first female member of our club. She is still active in Rotary today. In Manoles’ honor and to celebrate the work of women in the community, the Rotary Club of Edina established an annual women’s leadership award in 2008.
Twenty-three students are set to graduate from Edina High School as Rotary Global Scholars.
As a youth and teen, Darryl Landstrom pursued his athletic passion at Chester Bowl, both as a ski jumper and nordic combined skier. But when an injury sidelined him from competition at the age of 21, he turned his attention to volunteering, primarily in support of junior alpine ski racing in the then U.S. Ski Association’s Central Division.
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.
Isaac Orr is a Policy Fellow at Center of the American Experiment, where he writes about energy and environmental issues, including mining and electricity policy.
The Edina Rotary Foundation is accepting applications from nonprofit organizations in Edina and its contiguous communities for grants to be used for capital purchases. Applications are due Nov. 15.
The foundation of the Rotary Club of Edina recently awarded a grant of $2,000 to Pillsbury United Communities.
The annual Area 3 Rotary Veterans Luncheon is set for Thursday, Nov. 11, at Edina Country Club. Doors open and registration begins at 11 a.m. with live music and the luncheon and program begins at 11:15 and concluding by 1:15 p.m. If you would like to be a part of the program via ZOOM, click 
Wednesday, November 3, we will be gathering together for live meetings held 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. No registration is necessary, just show up. Gay Clapp is a member of the noon Edina Rotary Club and a colleague at Twin Cities Legal Service, PLLC. Gay's practice focus is in the area of wills, estates and trusts. 
Wednesday, October 6 we will be gathering together for live meetings held 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. No registration is necessary, just show up. Sylvester Thomas of the Edina Noon Rotary Club will speak to managing financial services both at the personal production level as well as at the corporate management level. 
The foundation of the Rotary Club of Edina recently awarded a grant of $2,500 to the Minneapolis chapter of Men Against Destruction (MAD DADS).
The foundation of the Rotary Club of Edina recently awarded a grant of $2,500 to My Very Own Bed. Minneapolis-based My Very Own Bed provides beds to children throughout the Twin Cities metro area moving into stable housing. The grant will be used to support the purchase of 18 beds for children who would otherwise sleep on a floor or share a bed with a family member.
Rotary Club of Edina President Sam Thompson recently recognized five Rotarians for outstanding service to the club and community. Robb Breding, Catherine Gump, Don Hutchison, Lindsey Smaka and Sylvester Thomas were each named “Rotarian of the Year.
Michael Stanzak was recently inducted as President of the Rotary Club of Edina.
The foundation of the Rotary Club of Edina recently awarded a grant of $2,500 to Oasis for Youth.
The Rotary Club of Edina recently presented two $1,500 scholarships to deserving students at Edina High School.
The Rotary Club of Edina presented Melody Zhou with its 2021 Chrysanne Manoles Women In Leadership Award at its May 6 meeting.
Understanding Alzheimer's and Dementia. Worldwide, 50 million people are living with Alzheimer's and other dementias. Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative brain disease and the most common form of dementia. Dementia is not a specific disease. It's an overall term that describes a group of symptoms. Understanding Alzheimer's and Dementia, outlines the difference between Alzheimer's and dementia, symptoms, stages, risk factors and more.
The Rotary Club of Edina will present the 12th-annual “Chrysanne Manoles Women In Leadership Award" at its May 6th meeting. In 1988, Rotary Club of Edina welcomed its first female member, Chrysanne Manoles and continues to be active in Rotary. In Manoles’ honor and to celebrate the work of women in the community, the Rotary Club of Edina established an annual women’s leadership award in 2008. Previous winners include Dr. Laurel Wills, Ann Byrne, Donna Tilsner, Katey Taylor, Kim Foote, Kris Marshall, Lauren Morse-Wendt, Lexi Reed Holtum, Hope Melton and Kathy Rendleman. Please join us in-person or via Zoom for this inspirational presentation. For details and additional information click "READ MORE" below.
Rotary International encourages regular “assemblies” to train, exchange ideas and celebrate accomplishments. Clubs are encouraged to have at least two per year to inform and excite Rotarians. The Rotary Club of Edina will hold one at its meeting Thursday, April 22.
The Rotary Club of Edina Race & Equity Committee has announced the book club dates. They will be meeting via ZOOM at 5:15 p.m to 6:15 p.m. for five Wednesdays starting February 17, and continuing on March 3, March 17, March 31 and April 14. Please contact committee member, Jennifer Bennerotte at 
Let’s Work it Out… Resolving Conflict During Trying Times
David Schultz is a professor of political science at Hamline University, where he teaches American politics, and professor of law specializing in election law at the University of Minnesota Law School. In addition to election law, he is a national expert on professional ethics, state constitutional law, and eminent domain and land use law. He will give us an analysis of George Floyd, Covid-19 and the 2020 Presidential Election. 
Please join The Rotary Club of Edina’s Leadership Series in December as we welcome Terrance W. Moore to share an interactive learning experience entitled “Solving Complicated Problems – How to Unwind the Spaghetti”. Register
Please join The Rotary Club of Edina’s Leadership Series in November as we welcome Jessica Parker PMP® to share an interactive learning experience entitled “Achieve Your Goals – One Bite at a Time.” Register 
The foundation of the Rotary Club of Edina provides much needed grants for local and international causes. The most recently funded international grant will provide $5,000 for the Ejeda Hospital in Madagascar.
The foundation of the Rotary Club of Edina has provided $500 for the Cambia Hills Playground and Thinking Park in East Bethel. 
The foundation of the Rotary Club of Edina recently awarded grants to Volunteers Enlisted to Assist People (VEAP) and the Edina Meal Fund to help with food insecurity in the community. There is more to this announcement. Click Read More below.
The foundation of the Rotary Club of Edina recently awarded a grantof $2,800 to Open Arms of Minnesota.
The foundation of the Rotary Club of Edina recently awarded a grant of $2,000 to Fishing For Life.
Masks must be worn. To slow the spread of COVID-19, Mayor Jim Hovland has signed an Executive Order requiring people to wear face masks inside public spaces in Edina.
The final meeting of the Rotary year was Thursday, June 25. This was the transition meeting, where the presidency of the Rotary Club of Edina will transfer from Josh Sprague to Sam Thompson. Outgoing club and foundation board members will be honored for their service, and incoming board members will be welcomed. Congratulate Josh on a successful and extraordinary Rotary year and wish Sam an "ordinary" year filled with many doors of opportunity.
The Rotary Club of Edina recently presented two $1,500 scholarships to deserving students at Edina High School.
The Rotary Club of Edina presented Kathy Rendleman with its 2020 Chrysanne Manoles Women In Leadership Award at its May 21 meeting. 
The foundation of the Rotary Club of Edina recently awarded a grant of $2,500 to Oasis for Youth. 
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8 to 10 people are needed to serve. Click 
The next Rotary Vocational Development Group Happy Hour will be Wednesday, Mar. 4 from 5:30 to 7:00 pm at The Mezz within Lund's and Byerlys in Edina. 
The next Rotary Vocational Development Group will meet Wednesday, December 4. Our speaker will be Edina Morningside Rotary Club member, Talley Flora. As the CEO of Red Seat, Talley is an expert on hiring and helping businesses find employees as quickly, efficiently and affordably as possible. Please feel free to extend an invitation to friends, prospective members, as well as members from other clubs. Once a month, Edina Rotarians have a chance to connect with other club members, and any guests, at happy hour to discuss their business and careers. This Rotary event is held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Mezz at the Lunds & Byerly's in Edina. The meeting will feature a brief presentation from a featured Rotarian, plus time for introductions, networking and questions. The Rotary Club of Edina and EMRC collaborate on this event.
Dr. H.L. Saylor, III is a Vascular Surgeon, Medical Director of Perioperative Services, and former Chief of Staff and former Chief of Surgery at Fairview Southdale Hospital.
“There are many small angels all around us who can see what has been done here,” said Dr. Willy Menendez, the chief of pediatrics at Hospital Regional de Escuintla. “We will save many more little lives.”
Monique Hammond is a registered pharmacist who lost hearing in her left ear – from a loud band - at a church fundraiser 10 years ago. The incident became a life-changer – she had to quit her job at the University Hospital Pharmacy. Monique had graduated with high distinction from the University of Minnesota, College of Pharmacy.
This year's Rotary International Convention will be held in beautiful Honolulu, Hawaii, June 6 - 10, 2020. The Rotary Club of Edina has established a fund to reimburse the registration fee to a limited number of Edina club members who will be attending an international convention for the first time. Please click 
The Rotaract Club of Edina will hold a Make-A-Meal event at Cornerstone from 5:00 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, August 6, 2019. At this Community Service Committee project, volunteers will prepare and serve a meal for 50 to 60 Cornerstone clients and their children. Cornerstone is located at 1000 E. 80th St., Bloomington..png){kind=logo}
There is nothing quite like the frenetic and fleeting seasonality of the upper Midwest to inspire a soulful cook. For Chef Gavin Kaysen, an old soul at heart, this idea beckoned him back home to Minneapolis to open Spoon and Stable, a 2015 James Beard Award Finalist for Best New Restaurant, in the North Loop neighborhood in fall 2014. Further planting his roots in Minnesota in early 2017, he opened French-inspired bistro, Bellecour, in Wayzata, MN. His second restaurant is a nod to his friends and mentors, Chefs Daniel Boulud and the late Paul Bocuse, and their time spent together in Lyon, France. “Cooking is very emotional for me; I have to cook how I feel,” Kaysen says. “There’s something to be said for how you feel emotionally as one season gives way to the next, when it snows, rains, or is sunny. I never thought about that growing up here, but coming back, I see that now.”
The Thursday, June 27, Rotary Club of Edina meeting will be the last meeting of the Rotary year. The presidency of the club will transition from John Flynn to Josh Sprague. Sprague will serve as Club President from July 2019 through June 2020..jpg)
The Area 3 Vocational Ethics Day is planned for 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. this Thursday, April 18, at the Edina Country Club. The keynote speaker at this year's event is Jerome Mayne. Since 2002, he has been speaking on the topics of fraud and ethics for associations and Fortune 500 companies in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Greg LaVallee is a speaker and advocate working to end distracted driving.
Rotary Club of Edina will host our Prospective Member Day Thursday, February 21. All Rotarians are encouraged to bring a friend or colleague that is interested in learning more about Rotary and our club to the meeting. Lunch is on the club for all prospective members February 21! Please make sure your guests sign in at the guest table before the meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Ruth Bachman from The Hourglass Fund Project as program speaker at the Thursday, Jan. 24, meeting..png)
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome former University of Minnesota basketball player Lea Olsen as the featured speaker at its Jan. 17 meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome WCCO-TV Reporter Jennifer Mayerle as the featured speaker at its Jan. 10 meeting. 
Edina Rotarians, family and friends were ringing at the red kettle for the Salvation Army in December! Here new member Joe Mahoney and Rotarian Toshie Metzger ring the bell at Lunds & Byerly's on France Avenue in Edina. Ringers also were at Jerry's Foods in Edina during the week of Dec. 17.
Rotarians, friends and family will be out ringing the bell at the red kettle this week for the Salvation Army!
The Rotary Club of Edina Holiday Party is this Thursday, Dec. 20, starting at 5:30 p.m. Join your fellow Rotarians and their guests for hearty appetizers and a cash bar at the Edina Country Club. Linda Peterson, of the incredibly talented Peterson Family, will be performing to put everyone in the holiday spirit!
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Eric Dayton as the program speaker at the Dec. 13 meeting. He will speak about “Identity & Entrepreneurship in the North.” The presentation will cover how the North has grown over the past five years from a knit hat into a movement.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Matt Halley as program speaker at the Thursday, Dec. 6, meeting. He joined Cookie Cart as its Executive Director in 2004. Under his leadership Cookie Cart has grown from grass roots organization in North Minneapolis to one of the largest youth employment training program in the Twin Cities.){kind=logo}
The deadline for submitting local grant applications to the Edina Rotary Foundation has passed for the 2018-2019 Rotary year. The deadline was Dec. 1, 2018. 
The program speaker at the Thursday, Nov. 29, Rotary Club of Edina meeting is Harvey Newcomb. He is Director of Principal Gifts for The Rotary Foundation in Chicago. He will speak about giving to The Rotary Foundation. Our club's annual TRF campaign kicks off this month!
The Edina Rotary Foundation recently sent $6,000 to Protect Me Project, a U.S.-based non-profit with a mission of educating and empowering Latin American children ages 3 to 9 on how to say “no” when confronted by an abuser..jpg)
This week, Wednesday, Nov. 21, is our annual Thanksgiving Baskets event! Join us for lunch at the Edina Country Club at 11:45 a.m., followed by the assembling of Thanksgiving baskets. Then teams will deliver their baskets to families in need in Edina and the surrounding communities..jpg)
Six area high school students won scholarships during Camp Enterprise earlier this month. Camp Enterprise, organized by the Rotary Club of Edina and Edina Morningside Rotary Club, provides high school students with a unique opportunity to learn about leadership, business and the free enterprise system.
More than 100 Minnesota/Wisconsin high school students joined us at YMCA Camp Ihudhapi Nov. 1-3 for the 2018 Rotary Camp Enterprise. The three-day camp is put on by the .jpg)
The annual Area 3 Rotary Veterans Luncheon is next Monday, Nov. 12, at Bloomington Hilton, 3900 American Blvd. W., Bloomington. Check-in begins at 11 a.m. with live music, with the luncheon beginning at 11:15 and concluding at 1:15 p.m.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Lori Syverson, Executive Director of the Edina Chamber Commerce, and our own Tim Murphy, past Rotary District 5950 Governor, as program speakers at the Thursday, Nov. 8, meeting. Syverson and Murphy are members of the Edina Economic Development Committee. They will be sharing about their work, and what Edina looks like moving forward.
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The next Rotary Vocational Development Group will be Wednesday, Nov. 7..jpg)
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Jill Renslow as program speaker at the Thursday, Nov. 1, meeting. Renslow is Senior Vice President of Business Development and Marketing with Mall of America. 
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The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome J. Drake Hamilton as the speaker at the Thursday, Oct. 25, meeting. Hamilton is the science policy director at Fresh Energy. She will speak about "The Economic Power of Clean Energy." 
We are looking for volunteers for 2018 Camp Enterprise! We need all different kinds of volunteers to make the event a success for more than 100 area high school students. Camp is Nov. 1 through 3 at YMCA Camp Ihduhapi. Contact 
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Scott Neal as the program speaker at the Thursday, Oct. 18, meeting. Neal is the City Manager for Edina, and will give an update on development in the city.
The annual Area 3 Rotary Veterans Luncheon is set for Monday, Nov. 12, at Bloomington Hilton, 3900 American Blvd. W., Bloomington. Check-in begins at 11 a.m. with live music, with the luncheon beginning at 11:15 and concluding at 1:15 p.m.
The Rotary Club of Edina will hold a Vocational Day meeting Thursday, Oct. 11, at Faribault Woolen Mill. Box lunches and bottled water will be provided on the bus ride to the mill. Host Paul Mooty will share the story of Faribault Woolen Mill on the bus ride.
Did you know? You can still give blood if you…are a cancer survivor?
The Rotary Club of Edina will hold a Prospective Member Day at the Thursday, Oct. 4 meeting. All Rotarians are encouraged to bring friends and colleagues that are interested in learning more about Rotary and our club.
The next Rotary Vocational Development Group will be today, Wednesday, Oct. 3..png)
There will be no Rotary Club of Edina meeting Thursday, Sept. 27, due to the Edina Rotary Foundation Fundraiser & Gala "Rotary's Got Talent" Saturday, Sept. 29, at the Metropolitan Ballroom & Clubroom in Golden Valley. The Gala counts as our official meeting this week. Registration for the Gala is closed, but you can bid in the Online Auction even if you are not attending. Go 
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Laura Mulliken as program speaker at the Thursday, Sept. 20, meeting. She will speak about "Sex Trafficking in Minnesota and the Community Response." 
The program speaker for the Thursday, Sept. 13, Rotary Club of Edina meeting is Irene Kelly, Governor of Rotary District 5950. She will share an update about our nationally recognized District. Her presentation is titled, "Be the Inspiration!" Kelly will serve as District Governor from July 2018 through June 2019. She is a member of the Eden Prairie AM Rotary Club.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dr. John Wald as program speaker at the Thursday, Sept. 6 meeting. Dr. Wald is a consultant in the Department of Radiology at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. His subspecialty training is in Neuroradiology with a focused interest in interventional spine and skull base procedures. He holds the academic rank of Professor. He will speak about "Mayo Clinic—Destination Medical Center."
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Dave Phillips as a member in September 2017. Dave's sponsor to the club was Sandy Schley.
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina in The Barker. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Bonnie Rolstad as a member in August 2017. Bonnie's sponsor to the club was Greg Yoch.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Renee DeLosh and Eric Wilkinson as program speakers at the Thursday, Aug. 30, meeting. They will talk about the 2019 KPMG Women's PGA Championship that will be held at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska..jpg)
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Renee DeLosh and Eric Wilkinson as program speakers at the Thursday, Aug. 30, meeting. They will talk about the 2019 KPMG Women's PGA Championship that will be held at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Ben Utecht as program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 23, meeting. Utecht, a Minnesota native who played football for the University of Minnesota, and went on to play in the NFL for the Cincinnati Bengals and Indianapolis Colts. He won a Super Bowl ring with the Colts in 2007. He is a professional singer as well as motivational speaker. He will speak about "The MVP Program/The Champion's Way."
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dr. Nancy Hutchison as program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 16, meeting. Hutchison is a physician specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation and she is a national expert in helping patients recover from the physical side effects of cancer and cancer treatment. 
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Diane Cross, CEO of Fraser, as program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 9, meeting. Cross will share the story about Fraser's making a difference in our community..jpg)
Volunteers needed! Edina Rotary Club, along with the Edina Crime Prevention Fund, will be distributing Deterra packets during Night To Unite Tuesday, Aug, 7.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Mark Irving as program speaker Thursday, Aug. 2. Irving was a professional jockey for 20 years. He has a new role as Racing Ambassador for Canterbury Park.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Don Smithmier as program speaker at the Thursday, July 26. Smithmier is the founder and CEO of two companies: GoKart Labs and The Big Know. He will speak about "We're All Digital Start-ups Now."
President John Flynn, with special guest Pam Conlow, joined with other Rotarians, family and friends at the 4th of July Parade in Edina! Despite some rain, the volunteers carried the Rotary banner and handed out treats while accompanied by a posse of superheroes running alongside the presidential vehicle. Other Rotarians also participated in the parade, including Frank Cardarelle, who was one of the Grand Marshalls! .jpg){kind=logo}
The Edina Rotary Foundation recently awarded up to $21,000 in grants for four pending international service projects. The projects will take place in Guatemala, Palestine and South Africa. Our International Service Committee will partner with other local and international Rotary clubs, as well as other organizations, to fund the projects.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Bill McGuire as the program speaker at the Thursday, July 19, meeting. McGuire is former chairman and CEO of UnitedHealth Group, and owns the Minnesota United FC, Minnesota's professional soccer team..JPG)
The first meeting of the new Rotary year, Thursday, July 12, will feature the ambassadors of the Minneapolis Aquatennial! Our own Bill McReavy, who serves as the Aquatennial Commodore, will be one of the speakers.){kind=logo}
The Edina Rotary Foundation recently awarded another $5,400 in grants to four local organizations.
One of the Rotary Club of Edina’s signature projects for 2017–2018 has been installed near the playground at Rosland Park in Edina.
The Rotary Club of Edina is sponsoring the City of Edina’s new Southdale-area circulator bus called CloverRide. With the goal of making the Southdale area more accessible, CloverRide is offered weekly on Fridays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Riders pay a daily fare of $3 that allows them unlimited rides throughout that day.
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Dan Stolfa as a member in September 2017. He became a Rotarian in July 2003. Dan's sponsor to the club was Josh Sprague.
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Susan Stiles as a member in September 2017. She became a Rotarian in March 2001. Susan's sponsor to the club was Josh Sprague.
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The Thursday, June 28, Rotary Club of Edina meeting will be the last meeting of the Rotary year. The presidency of the club will transition from San Asato to John Flynn. Flynn will serve as Club President from July 2018 through June 2019.
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The Rotary Club of Edina Family Picnic is tonight, this Tuesday, June 19! The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. and go until 7:30 at the Edina Country Club. Note the picnic is on Tuesday, but takes the place of the regular Rotary meeting that week.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Eric Curry as program speaker at the Thursday, June 14, meeting. Curry just completed his 18th season as a Division I college basketball official. He will speak about "Called for Traveling: The Life of a College Basketball Official." 
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Arlene Vernon as program speaker at the Thursday, June 7, meeting. Vernon is a human resource strategist with over 30 years of experience as a consultant and trusted resource for a diverse group of small and medium-sized organizations. In her talk, she will explore how the #metoo movement impacts us as organizational leaders and what, if anything, we’re doing about it. Do you know whether this public discussion has affected your workplace culture? What are your employees saying privately and publicly to each other and to management? Are your employees feeling more empowered or are they now more paranoid? Nothing about this issue is simple; neither is taking a leadership stance to create a positive, open, harassment-free, discrimination-free, bullying-free culture focused on achieving our organizations’ objectives. .jpg)
The next Rotary Vocational Development Group will be tonight, Wednesday, June 6..jpeg)
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Lindsey Smith as program speaker at the Thursday, May 31, meeting. Smith, a nurse practitioner, is a volunteer with the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) and has recently taken on the roll of President of the Minnesota Chapter. .jpg)
The Rotary Club of Edina presented Lexi Reed Holtum with its 2018 Chrysanne Manoles Women In Leadership Award at its May 24 meeting. The award is given out each year to a deserving female leader in the community. The award is named after Rotary Club of Edina's first female member, Chrysanne Manoles.
The 2018 Chrysanne Manoles Women In Leadership Award will be presented this Thursday, May 24, at the Rotary Club of Edina meeting at the Edina Country Club. This is the ninth Women in Leadership Award given, named after Chrysanne Manoles, the first female member of our club. She is still active in Rotary today. In Manoles’ honor and to celebrate the work of women in the community, the Rotary Club of Edina established an annual women’s leadership award in 2008.
“You'll laugh, you'll cry, you may see Tim Murphy fly!”
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Jake Johnson as a member in September 2017. Jake's sponsor to the club was Ann Platt.
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Kelly Anderson as a member in August 2017. Kelly's sponsor to the club was John Buttolph..png)
The Rotary Club of Edina will hold a Vocational Day meeting this Thursday, May 17, at the University of Minnesota Athletes Village. Box lunches and bottled water will be provided. There will be a tour of the complex after lunch and a presentation. 
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website and in our newsletter. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Jake Johnson as a member in September 2017. Jake's sponsor to the club was Ann Platt.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Mike Wolbrink as program speaker at the Thursday, May 10, meeting. Wolbrink is President of Azule Staffing, the largest Service Disabled Veteran Owned Business (SDVOSB) staffing company in Minnesota. He will speak about "Azule, Veterans and the Job Market."
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Bill Neuendorf as the program speaker at the Thursday, April 26, meeting. Neuendorf is the Economic Development Manager for the City of Edina. He will talk about the development in the 50th and France area of Edina.
The Area 3 Vocational Ethics Day will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. this Thursday, April 19, at the Edina Country Club. The speaker at this year's event is Nancy M. Dahl. She will speak about "My Decisions Matter." She is a speaker on leadership, leading change, innovation and professional development across the nation for a wide range of business and educational audiences. Dahl released a book in 2017, "Grounded: Leading Your Life with Intention."
The 2018 St. Paul Winter Carnival Royal Family will be the program speakers at the Thursday, April 12, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. The St. Paul Winter Carnival Royal Family is part of the St. Paul Festival and Heritage Foundation's Winter Carnival. The family represents the festival and the city of St. Paul at other festivals and community functions across North America. .jpg)
The Thursday, April 5, Rotary Club of Edina meeting is a joint meeting with the Edina Morningside Rotary Club. Our club will host EMRC members at our usual meeting place and time, 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club.
Dr. Andrew M. Baker will be the program speaker at the Thursday, March 29, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Baker is Chief Medical Examiner for Hennepin County. He will speak about "The Current and Future State of the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office." 
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Joe Cavanaugh as program speaker at the Thursday, March 22, meeting. Cavanaugh is a nationally known speaker with 30 years of experience working with young people and educators. He is the founder of Youth Frontiers, Inc., a Minnesota-based nonprofit organization that partners with schools to build positive school communities where students thrive socially, emotionally and academically. 
Josh Sprague and his wife, Kelly Sprague, were honored as Major Donors to The Rotary Foundation at the March 1 Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Past president Scott MacDonald presented them with the award, acknowledgement of their generous donations as Paul Harris Fellows to The Rotary Foundation. 
The Rotary Club of Edina, along with support of Rotary District 5950 and several area Rotary Clubs, will host a Opioid Awareness Workshop this Thursday, May 3, at the Edina Country Club. 
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website and in our newsletter. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Fred Sylvester as a member in August 2017. Fred's sponsor to the club was Tim Murphy.
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website and in our newsletter. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Mark Stageberg as a member in April 2017. Mark's sponsor to the club was Keith Benson.
The program speakers for the Thursday, March 15, Rotary Club of Edina meeting are Nancy Byers Killilea and Lesley A. Chester. Killilea is the founder of the non-profit Pass Your Parka, which collects donated winter gear to help those in need. Chester is Chief Advancement Officer at House of Charity.
The City of Edina’s Parks & Recreation Department has ordered the musical instruments to be placed at Rosland Park as one of the Rotary Club of Edina’s signature projects for 2017-2018.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dr. AnnMarie Thomas as program speaker at the Thursday, March 8, meeting. Thomas is an associate professor in the School of Engineering and Schulze School of Entrepreneurship at the University of St. Thomas. She is also the director of the Playful Learning Lab. She will speak about "Playing to Learn." 
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Mike Johnson as the program speaker at the Thursday, March 1, meeting. Johnson will speak about "Drones—What Can They Really Do?" He is the senior vice president of operations for SkySnopes. Johnson is the son of Rotarian Doug Johnson.
Authors Chris Omodt and Patrick Matter will be program speakers at the Thursday, Feb. 22, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Omodt is a retired captain with the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office and also spent 11 years with the Edina Police Department. Matter is the founder and former president of the Minnesota Chapter of Hells Angels. They are authors of the book, "Breaking the Code." 
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Phil Hansen as program speaker at the Thursday, Feb. 15, meeting. Hansen is the Regional CEO for the American Red Cross Minnesota Region. He will speak about "Down the Street. Across the Country. Around the World. The American Red Cross."
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Steve Elkins as program speaker at the Thursday, Feb. 8, meeting. Elkins is a member of the Metropolitan Council. He lives in Bloomington, and represents District 5 on the Met Council, which includes the Hennepin County cities of Bloomington, Edina, Hopkins, and Richfield, and the unorganized territory of Fort Snelling.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dale Kurschner as program speaker at the Thursday, Feb. 1, meeting. Kurschner is editor in chief for Twin Cities Business. He will speak about "The State We're In: Minnesota's Strengths, Challenges and Opportunities.".jpg){kind=logo}
The Edina Rotary Foundation recently awarded nearly $24,000 in grants to eight local organizations.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Tom Anderson as program speaker at the Thursday, Jan. 25, meeting. Anderson is the retired general counsel for the Metropolitan Airports Commission. He retired from MAC in October 2017 after 40 years of service.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Jack Uldrich as program speaker at the Thursday, Jan. 18, meeting. Uldrich is a global futurist and author. He will speak about, "Future-Proofing Minnesota." 
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Judy Tullius as the program speaker at the Thursday, Jan. 11, meeting. Tullius is the general manager at Southdale Center in Edina. .JPG)
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome own own Thom Winninger as the program speaker at this week's meeting, Thursday, Jan. 4. This is the first meeting of 2018. Winninger, a longtime Edina Rotarian, will speak about "Your True DNA—Finding Your Call in Your Work." .jpg){kind=logo}
The Rotary Club of Edina is supporting a water and sanitation project in the Upper East Region of Ghana. .jpg)
Once again this year, members of the Rotary Club of Edina will ring the Salvation Army bell at Jerry's Foods in Edina! Organized by Dan Hallberg, with the help of Wayne Harmon, teams of Rotarians will ring the bell for five days this week. 
The Rotary Club of Edina annual Holiday Party will be from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 20, at the Edina Country Club. All Rotarians and significant others (no other guests, please) were invited. Registration has ended for the event, so please contact Steve Slyce or Marty Kupper with questions. .jpg){kind=small}
Five area high school students won scholarships during Camp Enterprise last month. 
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Rotary District 5950 Governor Bob Halagan as the program speaker at the Thursday, Dec. 14, meeting. This is the last regular Rotary meeting of 2017. 
The Rotary Club of Edina will have a special program for the Thursday, Dec. 7, meeting. Rotarians Tim Murphy and Sandy Schley will present “A World, A Way; The Story of Moses.” They will tell the story of how a 3 year-old Kenyan boy's life is changed forever after meeting Past District Governor Schley in the Mathare Valley slum of Nairobi Kenya in 2007. Tim and Sandy will share what led up his trip to the United States for eye surgery and extensive dental work in 2010. Since then, the continued generosity of Rotarians in the Twin Cities is providing his education and a life outside the slums back in Kenya. 
The Rotary Club of Edina will have a special program for the Thursday, Dec. 7, meeting. Rotarians Tim Murphy and Sandy Schley will present “A World, A Way; The Story of Moses.” They will tell the story of how a 3 year-old Kenyan boy's life is changed forever after meeting Past District Governor Schley in the Mathare Valley slum of Nairobi Kenya in 2007. Tim and Sandy will share what led up his trip to the United States for eye surgery and extensive dental work in 2010. Since then, the continued generosity of Rotarians in the Twin Cities is providing his education and a life outside the slums back in Kenya. 
The annual Thanksgiving Baskets Assembly is tomorrow, Wednesday, Nov. 22, at the Edina Country Club. Our club will partner with Edina Morningside Rotary Club again this year to assemble and deliver baskets to those in need. We will gather at 11:45 a.m. for lunch, and then will begin assembling the Thanksgiving baskets for area families in need after that. Volunteers are needed for the basket assembly, as well as deliveries after the event. 
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Ravi Norman as the program speaker at the Thursday, Nov. 16, meeting. Norman is the CEO of THOR Companies. He will speak about "Build/Transform/Sustain.".jpg)
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The Edina Rotary Foundation recently awarded a grant to The Salvation Army to be used for hurricane recovery efforts.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dan Pollock as program speaker at the Thursday, Nov. 2, meeting. Pollock is the Deputy Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Health. He will speak about "What Creates Better Health? A Story in Three Chapters." 
The Edina City Council has declared Oct. 24 “World Polio Day,” encouraging residents to join Rotary International in the fight for a polio-free world..jpg){kind=logo}
Rotary International encourages regular “assemblies” to train, exchange ideas and celebrate accomplishments. Clubs are encouraged to have at least two per year to inform and excite Rotarians. The Rotary Club of Edina will hold one at its meeting Thursday, Oct. 26.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Katie Clark Sieben as program speaker this Thursday, Oct. 19. Clark Sieben is an economic development consultant with the City of Edina. She will speak about "The Grandview Green Project." .jpg)
The Rotary Club of Edina celebrated the club's 60th Anniversary at their meeting Oct. 5. The Diamond Jubilee was marked with a special meeting featuring a video honoring all the past presidents of the club, special recognition of the longest serving members and the membership pillars, a program on the history of the club by Edina Historical Society Executive Director Jennifer Adam and congratulatory remarks from Irene Kelly, the District 5950 Governor-Elect. For a recap of the celebration, click on the link.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Tina Rexing as program speaker at the Thursday, Oct. 12, meeting. Rexing is founder of the T-Rex Cooking Company. She'll speak about entrepreneurship in a talk titled "#Size Matters: Telling Your Story, Selling Your Story." .jpg)
At its 60th anniversary celebration Oct. 5, the Rotary Club of Edina recognized its longest-serving members, Don Erickson and Frank Cardarelle..jpg)
Tomorrow we will celebrate the Rotary Club of Edina's 60th anniversary! At the meeting celebrating 60 years of Service Above Self (1957–2017) Thursday, Oct. 5, at the Edina Country Club, our Charter Members and Past Presidents will be recognized and Edina Historical Society Executive Director Jennifer Adam will give a presentation on the Club's history. 
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The Rotary Clubs of Edina and Edina Morningside are hosting three Youth Exchange students this school year. All are attending Edina High School. Susmita Gautam, Seo-jun "Sam" Lee and Francisco "Paco" Tebar-Gomez are the students visiting Edina this school year.
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The Edina Rotary Foundation Fundraiser & Gala is just around the corner (Saturday night, Sept. 23, at The Sheraton Bloomington Hotel), and for those of you attending we have a great Live and Silent Auction line up for you!.jpg)
Celebrating the 60th anniversary of service to the community, the Edina Rotary Foundation will host its annual fundraiser and gala this Saturday, Sept. 23. This year's fundraising event, dubbed “Diamond Jubilee,” will be held 6-10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, at the Sheraton Bloomington Hotel, 5601 W. 78th St. The event will feature silent and live auctions, raffle, dinner and entertainment by “Deuces Wild!” dueling pianos.
Tim Mulcrone and our own Tom McNellis will be the program speakers at the this week's Rotary Club of Edina meeting, Thursday, Sept. 28. They will speak about The Rotary Foundation's PolioPlus program. Mulcrone is the Rotary District 5950 Polio Chair, a post he has held for six years. He is a member of the Chanhassen Rotary Club. McNellis is a longtime Rotary Club of Edina member and a Major Donor to TRF.
John Schultz, Superintendent of Edina Public Schools, will be the program speaker at the Thursday, Sept. 14, meeting of the Rotary Club of Edina. He will speak about "My Warm Welcome to Edina." 
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website and in our newsletter. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Theresa Bea Halverson as a member in March 2017. Theresa's sponsor to the club was Sutton McGraw. Click on the link to read more about Theresa...
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website and in our newsletter. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Ian Colville as a member in May 2016. Ian's sponsor to the club was Josh Sprague. Click on the link for more about Ian....jpg){kind=logo}
The Rotary Club of Edina is supporting a project of the Rotary Club of Minneapolis to build female pit latrines and washing facilities at a school in South Sudan and distribute sanitary pad kits and teach a feminine hygiene course to female students there.
Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Frank Vascellaro as program speaker at the Thursday, Sept. 7, meeting. Vascellaro is a television news anchor at WCCO in the Twin Cities. He will speak about "Q & A in Interesting Times." 
Barry Rassin of the Rotary Club of East Nassau, New Providence, Bahamas, is the selection of the Nominating Committee for President of Rotary International for 2018–2019. He will be declared the president-elect on Sept. 1, 2017 if no challenging candidates have been suggested..jpg){kind=logo}
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. 
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Chris O'Brien as program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 31, meeting. O'Brien is the Chief Commercial Officer for C.H. Robinson. He will speak about "Getting it There: The Supply Chain and Transportation Industry and the Minneapolis Company That Has Been Empowering It For 112 Years."
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Laura Kelly as program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 24, meeting. Kelly is CEO and Managing Partner of Keyot, a regional consulting firm focused on creating relationships between workforce and client organizations where every consultant can be an “A” player. She will speak about "Integrating Millennials into Corporate America.".jpg)
Satoru “San” Asato was recently inducted as President of the Rotary Club of Edina..JPG)
Recent Edina High School graduate Nate Zachman was recently presented a $1,000 scholarship from the Rotary Clubs of Edina and Edina Morningside. The clubs.png)
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The Rotary Club of Edina met Wednesday, Aug. 16, for the second meeting of the new Rotary year. Read on for a recap of the meeting. 
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Luke Shimp as program speaker at this week's meeting, Thursday, Aug. 10. Shimp is president and owner of Red Cow, which operates four Red Cow "21st Century Taverns" in the Twin Cities, and Red Rabbit restaurant in the North Loop of Minneapolis. The program topic will be "A Conversation about Growth with Luke Shimp." 
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Mark Coyle as the program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 3, meeting. Coyle is the Director of Athletics at the University of Minnesota. He will give a "Gopher Sports Update." 
Clyde Doepner, the curator for the Minnesota Twins, will be the program speaker at the Thursday, July 27, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Doepner will speak about "How Do I Know a Twins Jersey Is Real?" Doepner has been with the Twins since 2009.
The Rotary Club of Edina will host Neel Kashkari, president of the Federal Reserve Bank in Minneapolis, as program speaker at next week's meeting, Thursday, Aug. 17, meeting. Our club has invited all Area 3 and 5 Rotary clubs to attend this meeting. For planning purposes, Edina Rotarians are asked to please register .jpg)
The Rotary Club of Edina will receive an update on the International Service project in Guatemala at the Thursday, June 20, meeting. Rotarian Gary Pedersen spearheaded our club's water sanitation project in Guatemala, which has achieved a Rotary International Global Grant and involved donations from many area Rotary clubs. Gary and the International Service Committee has been working on the project for three years..jpg)
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OneVillage Partners—founder Jeff Hall and executive Director Jill LaLonde. They will speak about "Rotary Partnership with OneVillage Partners in Sierra Leone," and give members info about another upcoming International Service project with our club.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dr. Nancy Cummings as program speaker at the first meeting of the new Rotary year, Thursday, July 13. Cummings is an assistant professor of orthopedics at Mayo Clinic and is the head orthopedic team physician for the Minnesota Lynx. She will speak about "Youth Sports Injuries—Single vs. Multi-Sport Athletes.".jpg)
There is no Rotary Club of Edina meeting this Thursday, July 6, due to the Fourth of July holiday. There will also be no newsletter this week. The Barker will be sent out next week with a recap of the June 29 transition meeting and news from the new Rotary year.
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The final meeting of the Rotary year will be this Thursday, June 29. This is the transition meeting, where the presidency of the Rotary Club of Edina will transfer from Ann Platt to San Asato. Outgoing club and foundation board members will be honored for their service, and incoming board members will be welcomed. Don't miss the chance to congratulate Ann on a successful Rotary year, and wish San luck in the year ahead.
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website and in our newsletter. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Brandon Azbill as a member in July 2016. Brandon's sponsor to the club was Wooj Byun.
Last week Tim and Cindy Murphy, San Asato, David Clynes, Jim Platt and I attended the 112th Rotary International Convention in Atlanta, Georgia. It was quite an experience and once again Rotary highlighted the great works that we as an organization accomplish in "Doing Good in the World."
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Richard Pitino as program speaker at the Thursday, June 22, meeting. Pitino is the head coach of the University of Minnesota men's basketball team. He was the 2017 Big Ten Coach of the Year..jpg)
Bring your kids and grandkids for the Rotary Club of Edina's annual family picnic in the pavilion at Three Rivers Park District's Bryant Lake Park! The picnic will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, June 15..jpg)
The Rotary Club of Edina presented Lauren Morse-Wendt with its 2017 Chrysanne Manoles Women In Leadership Award at its May 25 meeting. Morse-Wendt was selected for the 2017 honor for playing a key role in transforming Edina’s role in providing housing for homeless young adults.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Jerry Rubino as program speaker at the Thursday, June 8, meeting. Rubino is a musician, conductor and educator in the Twin Cities and beyond who has worked with the MacPhail Center for Music and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra Chorale, and many more universities, schools and musical groups. He works every year with Doc Severinsen (shown on the left with Rubino) for the Jingle Bell Doc performance with the Minnesota Orchestra. He is the artistic director of Jerry Rubino Plus and serves as the minister of music at Spirit of Hope United Methodist Church in Golden Valley.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Rep. Dario Anselmo as program speaker at the Thursday, June 1, meeting. Anselmo represents District 49A in the Minnesota House of Representatives, which includes Edina.
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The Rotary Club of Edina will present the eighth-annual “Chrysanne Manoles Women In Leadership Award" at this week's meeting, on Thursday, May 25. Chrysanne Manoles was the first female member of our club, and is still active in Rotary today. In Manoles’ honor and to celebrate the work of women in the community, the Rotary Club of Edina established an annual women’s leadership award in 2008.
WHAT: Make-A-Meal event
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The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Edina Mayor Jim Hovland as program speaker at the Thursday, May 11, meeting. Mayor Hovland is also a member of the Edina Morningside Rotary Club.
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Edina Rotarians are encouraged to attend the community meeting for the Edina Comprehensive Plan kick-off at 7 p.m. next Monday, May 8, at Braemar Golf Course, 6364 John Harris Drive, Edina. Go 
Rotary Club of Edina members are invited to attend the Edina Comprehensive Plan Kick-off Meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, May 8, at Braemar Golf Course, 6364 John Harris Drive, Edina. The kick-off meeting will celebrate the launch of the project and is free and open to everyone. 
The Rotary Club of Edina will hold a Vocational Day meeting this Thursday, May 18, at Grandview Tire & Auto–Cahill, 5415 70th St. W., Edina. Check in at the meeting will begin at 11:45 a.m., and the meeting will end promptly at 1:30 p.m. Lunch and beverages will be provided. 
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dr. David Odde as the program speaker at the Thursday, May 4, meeting. Odde works on cancer research in the Biomedical Engineering Department at the University of Minnesota. 
Rotary Club of Edina member Sandra Schley was awarded the Service Above Self Award at the Rotary District 5950 Conference Friday, April 28! Here she is accepting the award from District 5950 Governor Mark Hegstrom at the conference. This award from Rotary International is only given to 150 Rotarians worldwide each year.
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The Edina Rotary Foundation recently awarded nearly $25,000 in grants to 15 local organizations. The organizations have been visiting our weekly meetings to pick up the grant checks and share stories about their organizations and the people who will benefit from the funds. 
This baseball season the Edina Noon Rotary Club is the proud sponsor of the Edina Baseball Association's Fifth-Grade Green Baseball Team 11A, coached by Jason Hughes! The 11A Team has its next game at 6 p.m. Monday, May 8, at the Courtney 4 Field (next to Braemar Arena on the east side of Highway 169 off of Valley View Road) vs. Waconia.
The southbound Highway 100 ramp to West 50th Street/Vernon Avenue will be closed this week, Monday through Friday, April 24 through 28. Crews are painting the new noise wall and adding lighting.
This week is Prospective Member Day at the Rotary Club of Edina! Members are encouraged to bring a friend or colleague who is interested in Rotary to the meeting. The program speaker for this week's meeting, Thursday, April 27, is Lee Anderson. Anderson is external relations director for General Mills. He will speak about "General Mills: 150 Years of Serving the World By Making Food People Love." 
Thursday, April 20, was the annual Area 3 Rotary Vocational Day meeting featuring keynote speaker Michael Bellotti. He spoke to Rotary clubs from Bloomington, Eden Prairie, Edina, Richfield and South Metro Minneapolis Evenings, as well as students from area high schools. The theme of his talk was "How Art Saved My Life." As a surprise at the end of the meeting, the Vocational Day Committee presented artwork they had commissioned Michael Bellotti to do of longtime Rotarian Arthur Rouner! 
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website and in our newsletter. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Jen Tregarthen as a member in October 2016. But Jen had been a member of a Rotary club in Oklahoma before moving to Minnesota. Jen's sponsor to the club was Greg Yoch.
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website and in our newsletter. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Sarah Aydinalp as an Honorary Member in August 2016. Sarah was invited to be an Honorary Member after she was on outbound Youth Exchange student through our club. Sarah's sponsor was Jennifer Bennerotte.
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WHAT: Rotary Club of Edina Prospective Member Day
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Time has gone fast this year, as we are already three-quarters of the way through the school year! Our inbound students, Justine and Claudio, are busy with studies and activities. In the next few weeks they will each be presenting their Country Talks during a meeting—Justine April 27 and Claudio May 4! Please reach out to Justine and Claudio if you wish to invite them to an event or dinner with your family—Heather, Hansen, Mike Kallas or Terry Stevens can help you get in contact with the students. We need host families for our three inbound students next year as well. Contact Heather if you or someone you know is interested!
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WHAT: Rotary Club of Edina Prospective Member Day
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Mike Max will be the program speaker at the Thursday, April 13, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Max is a sports anchor and reporter on WCCO Channel 4 and hosts Sports to the Max on WCCO Radio. 
The annual Area 3 Rotary Vocational Ethics Day meeting will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. this Thursday, April 20, at the Edina Country Club. All Edina Rotarians are encouraged to attend, and many Rotarians from area clubs, as well as local high schools, will also be in attendance. This year's keynote speaker is Michael Bellotti. He will speak about "How Art Saved My Life."
Longtime Rotary Club of Edina member Dennis Bock passed away March 28, 2017. His funeral was Monday, April 3, at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Edina. Denny was president of our club in 1984–1985.
Monday evening, April 3, the City of Edina held the 38th annual Volunteer Awards Reception. This is an opportunity for organizations to recognize outstanding volunteers each year. The Edina Rotary Club recognized Gary Pedersen as Rotarian of the Year for his work on the International Service project in Escuintla, Guatemala.
Mark Stutrud, president and founder of Summit Brewing Co., will be the program speaker at this week's, Thursday, April 6, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Stutrud will speak about "Experiences Being a Brewing Sod-Buster." There will be samples of some of Summit's brews at the meeting.
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?.jpg){kind=logo}
The next Rotary Vocational Development Group tonight, Wednesday, April 5. The speaker at the meeting will be our own André Brewer. 
All Edina Rotarians are invited to attend the Edina Give and Go Fundraiser next Friday, April 7. Executive Director Abigail Lugo extended an invitation to all Rotarians to stop by "A Great Gathering for a Great Cause," from 6 to 8 p.m. at Braemar Golf Course Clubhouse. For more info or to RSVP go 
Our The Rotary Foundation Bowl Commissioners (Sandy Schley and Tim Murphy) and their team captains are busy contacting all members to ask that everyone donate to The Rotary Foundation (TRF). It doesn’t matter if it is $26.50 (which was the first donation in 1916 to start TRF) or whatever amount you are comfortable with. Several of you have become Paul Harris Society members, which means you are committing $1,000 a year. Congratulations and thank you!
Dr. Mark Kroll will be the program speaker at the Thursday, March 30, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Kroll is the retired chief technology officer and senior vice president at St. Jude Medical, and holds more than 340 U.S. patents for medical devices.
The Rotary Club of Edina met on a grey, windy and gloomy Thursday, March 23, but our spirits were brightened with the fellowship of Rotarians. The program speaker was Judy Keen, editor at the Star Tribune, and she spoke about “Covering Politics in a New Era.” New members Nash Faulk and Scott Hawkins were officially inducted into the club. And two Edina Rotary Foundation local grants were given out by the Community Service—Local Funding Committee.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Star Tribune editor Judy Keen as program speaker at the Thursday, March 23, meeting. Keen will speak about "Covering Politics in a New Era." Keen was previously on staff with USA Today, and covered three presidents, five presidential campaigns and numerous breaking news stories.
The program speaker for the Thursday, March 16, Rotary Club of Edina meeting will be Bob Erickson. He will talk about the new development at France Avenue and 66th Street in Edina. 
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Due to the joint meeting with Edina Morningside Rotary Club held Tuesday, March 7, there will be no regular Rotary Club of Edina meeting this Thursday, March 9. The next meeting will be Thursday, March 16. The program speaker March 16 will be Bob Erickson, who will talk about the new development at France Avenue and 66th Street in Edina. 
The annual spring Rotary Club of Edina volunteer effort at Feed My Starving Children is set for Saturday, May 6. Rotarians, family and friends are welcome to register to pack meals for children in need around the world. We will meet at the Feed My Starving Children in Chanhassen from 9 to 11 a.m. 
The annual join meeting with the Edina Morningside Rotary Club is at 7:30 a..m. today, Tuesday, March 7, at the Edina Country Club. The program speaker will be Dr. Michael Osterholm, who will speak on "Public Health and Infectious Disease." 
What difference will you make?
The next Rotary Vocational Development Group will be tomorrow, Wednesday, March 1. The speaker at the meeting will be Rotary Club of Edina President Ann Platt. 
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina in The Barker. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Jim Platt as a member in August 2016. Jim's sponsor to the club was Ann Platt.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Craig Warren as program speaker at the Thursday, March 2, meeting. Warren is the chief operating officer for Twin Cities United Way. He will speak about "We Are Humankind. Twin Cities United Way and Our Community."
WHAT: Just Golf It & Mini-Masters Golf Tournament, plus dinner and dessert reception
WHAT: Chamber/Rotary Edina State of Community event.jpg){kind=small}
Rotary’s Council on Legislation met last year, resulting in a new standard club constitution, Rotary clubs’ guiding document. The new constitution covers excused absences for senior members. As a result, our club’s bylaws must be amended to conform. At its January meeting, the Club’s Board of Directors recommended a change to Article 13 for “Member Types:”
The Rotary Club of Edina is now on LinkedIn! Click on this 
Maureen Hooley Bausch, CEO of the Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee, will be the program speaker at the Thursday, Feb. 23, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. 
Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Marna Anderson as program speaker at the Thursday, Feb. 16, meeting. Anderson is director of development and communications for Nonviolent Peaceforce. She will speak about "Unarmed Protection of Civilians in Violent Conflict." 
The Rotary Club of Edina gathered Thursday, Feb. 9, to hear program speaker Dr. Michael McAlpine from the University of Minnesota. An associate professor of mechanical engineering, his talk focused on 3D printing and functional materials. Before we heard from Dr. McAlpine, Rotarian Brandon Azbill gave his classification talk, Keith Benson handed out a local grant to the city of Edina Communications Department, and much more! 
Rotarians were busy last week, Feb. 6–10, reading to third-graders at Creek Valley Elementary School in Edina. This is the second year that Rotarians have taken the Andy & Elmer’s Apple Dumpling Adventure books to students in Edina schools. It is the story of a young entrepreneur who starts an apple dumpling business. With the guidance of a mysterious voice, conveying the Four-Way Test, he turns his venture into a wonderful success and makes friends along the way.
Rotarians are busy this week reading to third-graders at Creek Valley Elementary School. This is the second year that Rotarians have taken the Andy & Elmer’s Apple Dumpling Adventure books to students in Edina schools. It is the story of a young entrepreneur who starts an apple dumpling business. With the guidance of a mysterious voice, conveying the Four-Way Test, he turns his venture into a wonderful success and makes friends along the way.
WHAT: Italian Cooking Class
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dr. Michael McAlpine from the University of Minnesota as program speaker at the Thursday, Feb. 9 meeting. Dr. McAlpine is an associate professor of mechanical engineering with a focus on 3D printing. He will speak about 3D Printing Functional Materials and Devices. 
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Deb Anderson as the program speaker at the Thursday, Feb. 2, meeting. Anderson is founder and owner of By the Yard, an outdoor furniture company located in Jordan, Minnesota.
Last week we were warmly greeted by Michael Opitz and Ed Padilla. They are professionals. The front desk was handled by Marty Kupper, Libby Schmit and Axel Steuer. They had a busy day checking in the huuuuuuge number of guests on Prospective Member Day..jpg)
The Edina High School Interact Club is planning a "Skate to End Polio" from 7 to 9 p.m. this Friday, Feb. 10, at Braemar Arena's Backyard Rink. Enjoy open skating with friends and family! All ages are welcome! Tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for kids, and can be bought at upcoming Rotary meetings, the day of the event, or by contacting .jpeg)
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Hannelore Brucker as a member in July 2016. Hannelore's sponsor to the club was Josh Sprague. Click on the link to get to know Hannelore...
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina in The Barker. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Hannelore Brucker as a member in July 2016. Hannelore's sponsor to the club was Josh Sprague. Read on to get to know more about Hannelore...
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dr. Penny Wheeler as program speaker at the meeting Thursday, Jan. 26. Wheeler has been the president and CEO of Allina Health since 2015. This week is also Prospective Member Day at Edina Rotary! All members are encouraged to bring a friend or colleague that is interested in learning more about Rotary and our club. Rotary Club of Edina will provide lunch for all prospective members Jan. 26!
The Rotary Club of Edina is excited to welcome Will Steger as program speaker at the Thursday, Jan. 19, meeting. Steger is a polar explorer and educator and founder of the Steger Wilderness Center and Climate Generation (formerly Will Steger Foundation). He will talk about his work with the Steger Wilderness Center.
Sue Spalding kicked off the Rotary International Bowl and introduced the two team captains and members of the Blue and Gold teams. The team members will be contacting club members in the coming months to talk about donations to The Rotary Foundation.
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Rotary Club of Edina will welcome entrepreneur Scott Litman as program speaker at the Thursday, Jan. 12, meeting. Litman, co-founder of Magnet 360 and the Minnesota Cup, will talk about his latest venture—Equals 3, the use of artificial intelligence with IBM's super computer, Watson.
Edina Rotarians, family and friends rang the bell at the Salvation Army red kettle at Jerry's Foods in Edina from Dec. 19 through 23. Dan Hallberg once again chaired the project for our club with the help of Wayne Harmon, and has shared the final results the bell ringers raised. Our kettles gathered a total of $7,068 during the five days, including $2
,631 on "Ring for Joel Day" Wednesday, Dec 21. Our club honored longtime Rotarian Joel Jennings by ringing in his name, and all the donations received in the red kettle that day were matched.
Rotarians and guests gathered at the Edina Country Club Thursday, Dec. 15, for the annual Rotary Club of Edina Holiday Party. More than 120 people enjoyed food, drink and warm conversation by the fire as they celebrated the holidays. Many holiday-themed ties and sweaters were worn, as well as one amazing suit that was the very definition of holiday spirit! Christmas cheer was evident and a good time was had by all.
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Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Andrea Thompson Miller as a member in June 2016. Andrea's sponsor to the club was Josh Sprague. Click on the link to get to know Andrea...
It is almost 2017 and I thought I would review some of the highlights of the first six months of this Rotary year. I think you'll agree that we've been busy! If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact me!
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina in The Barker. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Andrea Thompson Miller as a member in June 2016. Andrea's sponsor to the club was Josh Sprague. Read on to get to know more about Andrea....jpg){kind=logo}
The next Rotary Vocational Development Group will be tonight, Wednesday, Jan. 4. The speaker at the meeting will be Dick Crockett of the Edina Community Foundation. He is a member of the Edina Morningside Rotary Club. .jpg)
Several members of the Rotary Club of Edina were honored at the Dec. 8 meeting as multiple Paul Harris Fellows, having donated multiple gifts of $1,000 to The Rotary Foundation. TRF Director for our club, Sue Spalding, handed out the PHF pins to members, with the help of David Clynes. It was also announced at the meeting that David will be the 2016–2017 TRF director for our club.
Incoming Rotary District 5950 Governor Bob Halagan is encouraging all Rotarians to take the District 5950 Membership Survey! If you have not done so, please fill out your survey. Survey results and analysis will be shared with the membership as soon as it becomes available. The deadline for completing the survey is now Dec. 29, so click on this .JPG)
Rotary Club of Edina members will be ringing the bell at the Salvation Army red kettle at Jerry's Foods in Edina Monday through Friday, Dec. 19–23. Stop by and support the volunteers as they brave the cold and last-minute holiday food shoppers! 
Rotary Club of Edina members will be ringing the bell at the Salvation Army red kettle at Jerry's Foods in Edina this week. Volunteers were there Monday and Tuesday, and will continue ringing Wednesday through Friday, Dec. 21–23. Stop by and support the volunteers as they brave the cold and last-minute holiday food shoppers! .jpg)
This Thursday, Dec. 15, is the annual Rotary Holiday Party from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Edina Country Club. Join your fellow Rotarians for a chance to celebrate the holidays with a variety of hearty appetizers and a cash bar. There will be lots of room to sit and relax in the living room to catch up with old and new friends in Rotary. You can bring gifts to donate to the Holiday Giving Program as well.
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The upcoming construction project on Highway 169 will be the program topic at the Thursday, Dec. 8, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Melissa Madison, Executive Director of the I-494 Corridor Commission and Commuter Services, and Andrew Lutaya, a senior project manager with the Minnesota Department of Transportation, will speak about the scope and timeline of the project that begins in January 2017. Their program is titled "State of the Commute." .png)
The amazing work that The Rotary Foundation does throughout the world was honored recently. The Rotary Foundation was named the 
The upcoming construction project on Highway 169 will be the program topic at the Thursday, Dec. 8, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Melissa Madison, Executive Director of the I-494 Corridor Commission and Commuter Services, and Andrew Lutaya, a senior project manager with the Minnesota Department of Transportation, will speak about the scope and timeline of the project that begins in January 2017. Their program is titled "State of the Commute." 
Scott did an excellent job of tailoring his program to fit our timeline. Scott has an ongoing quest to uncover the mysteries of the controversial Kensington Rune Stone he examined in 2001. We discovered only about half of the members and guests present knew about the Kensington Rune Stone. As Scott explained, the Kensington Rune Stone is a medieval document carved in rock. Scott proposed it is a land claim, carved in Minnesota in 1362. It is said to have been written by a party of Templar Knights. The rune stone was found in Kensington, Minnesota, by Olof Ohman in 1890 in the roots of an Aspen tree. As said, the runes were caked with mud so Olof used a nail to scratch them out and attempt to read them. Those scratch marks would haunt the rune stone as detractors claimed that they were the marks of recent carving. In fact the scratches are down in the runes and the remainder of the carved surfaces show obvious weathering compared to the scratches. The runes were quite old, certainly older than the 20 years Olof had been in the area. Scott conducted a study to compare the weathering of the rune stone to other similar stones exposed to similar climate for a known period in order to deduce an age. Tombstones of slate in Maine that were approximately 200 years old were selected. Samples were taken with permission and studied. The carvings on the tombstones did not have complete mica deterioration and the rune stone did. This made it possible to conclude that the rune stone was carved more than 200 years ago. This of course, rules out any any hoax and any conclusion other than the rune stone is an artifact of pre-Columbian European contact. More information can be found at http://scottwolteranswers.blogspot.com/2016/02/kensington-rune-stone-deception.html
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The Rotary Club of Edina joined with Edina Morningside Rotary Club and the Interact Club of Edina High School Nov. 23 to assemble and deliver 77 Thanksgiving Baskets to families in need in our community. Almost 170 Rotarians, friends and family gathered to help with the event!.jpg)
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Scott F. Wolter as the program speaker at the Thursday, Dec. 1, meeting. Wolter is a forensic geologist and petrographer and will speak about "The Kensington Rune Stone Mystery Solved."
It is hard to believe that Thanksgiving is in the rearview mirror and the winter holidays are fast approaching. As Edina Rotarians, we have many blessings that we can count. Last Wednesday, Nov. 23, Michael Stanzak, with assistance from Mary Hustad, made arrangements for 77 Thanksgiving Baskets to be delivered to families in need in our community. More than 100 Rotary Club of Edina members with family and friends, along with 55 Edina Morningside Rotary Club members and guests, as well as eight members of the Edina High School Interact Club, assembled and delivered the baskets. This was a record number of helpers—almost 170! 
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Scott F. Wolter as the program speaker at the Thursday, Dec. 1, meeting. Wolter is a forensic geologist and petrographer and will speak about "The Kensington Rune Stone Mystery Solved." He is founder and president of American Petrographic Services, headquartered in St. Paul. He is also an author and host of History channel's television show, "American Unearthed."
A total of 169 people were greeted by our Chairman of this event of many years, the Honorable and Ever Enthusiastic Michael Stanzak. We also had three District 5950 Governors in attendance, and a crew from Korea filming this event—more about that later.
Around 25 Rotary Club of Edina members and guests enjoyed a musical evening out in St. Paul last Saturday, Nov. 19. Organized by Wade Thommen, as part of the Membership Retention Committee, the group enjoyed a social hour followed by dinner at Bonfire Wood Fire Cooking, and then walked to St. Paul's United Church of Christ on Summit Avenue for the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra's "Dvorak's Serenade for Winds" concert. 
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Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Tom Cook as a member in April 2016. Tom's sponsor to the club was David Clynes. Click on the link to get to know Tom...
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina in The Barker. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Tom Cook as a member in April 2016. Tom's sponsor to the club was David Clynes. Read on to get to know more about Tom...
This Thursday, Dec. 15, is the annual Rotary Holiday Party from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Edina Country Club. Join your fellow Rotarians for a chance to celebrate the holidays with a variety of hearty appetizers and a cash bar. There will be lots of room to sit and relax in the living room to catch up with old and new friends in Rotary..jpg)
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Rotary Club of Edina members are encouraged to bring unwrapped gifts, gift cards or cash or check donations to the Dec. 8 meeting! Rotarian Jean Morrison is once again spearheading the effort to spread holiday cheer in our community by donating gifts to families in need this holiday season. This year the Rotary Holiday Giving Program will donate gifts to Cornerstone's Holiday Shop and VEAP's Holiday Toy Drive. Donations can also be brought to the Rotary Holiday Party Dec. 15. 
This Wednesday, Nov. 23, the Rotary Club of Edina will join with the Edina Morningside Rotary Club and friends and family to assemble Thanksgiving Baskets to deliver to families in need in our community this holiday season. We will gather for lunch at 11:45 a.m. at the Edina Country Club, with a short program by Michael Stanzak about the event. Then everyone will work with their team to assemble the baskets with all the fixings for a Thanksgiving dinner. The teams will then deliver the baskets to families in the community. .jpg)
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Join us for the Edina Rotary Happy Hour/Vocational Development Group. The December Rotary Happy Hour will be held at a different date and time than usual. The next gathering will be Monday, Dec. 12, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Mezz, located upstairs in Lunds & Byerly's at 7171 France Ave. S. in Edina. Access The Mezz from the entrance closest to France Avenue (SW corner of the store). Wine and craft beer is available at your own cost. A limited menu may be available, but you can also purchase food in the grocery deli and bring it upstairs.
The Rotary Club of Edina is collecting holiday gifts for families in need in our community. Rotarian Jean Morrison is spearheading the Holiday Giving Program, and asks that members bring UNWRAPPED gifts for children of any age (infant all the way through teens) as well as gifts for moms, dads, and families, to the Edina Country Club in December. The gifts can still be dropped off at the Dec. 8 meeting, or at the Holiday Party on Thursday, Dec. 15. Gift cards, cash or check donations are also welcome at the Dec. 8 meeting. Jean will take the funds donated and buy gift cards or other gifts to be donated as well. This year, the organizations benefiting from the Edina Rotary Holiday Giving Program will be:.JPG)
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The Rotary Club of Edina meeting this Thursday, Nov. 17, will focus on The Rotary Foundation. With the 2016–2017 TRF campaign kicking off, the program at the meeting will be introduced by our club's TRF Chair Sue Spalding. Past District 5950 Governors Tim Murphy and Jim Nelson will speak about TRF, sharing with members the importance of supporting TRF each Rotary year. 
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The Rotary Club of Edina meeting this Thursday, Nov 17, will focus on The Rotary Foundation. With the 2016–2017 TRF campaign kicking off, the program at the meeting will be introduced by our club's TRF Chair Sue Spalding. Past District 5950 Governors Tim Murphy and Jim Nelson will speak about TRF, sharing with members the importance of supporting TRF each Rotary year. 
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The light drizzle Saturday, Oct. 29, could do nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of almost 100 Camp Enterprise students and the dozens of Rotarian volunteers as they cheered the final keynote speaker and waited to learn who wowed the volunteer venture capitalists and who would be awarded scholarships. With only five winners, the latter was a tough choice because every student hit it out of the park. According to one venture capitalist, "This group is going to fix the world's problems!"
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The Area 3 Rotary Veterans Luncheon will be Friday, Nov. 11 at Bearpath Golf and Country Club, 18100 Bearpath Trail, Eden Prairie. Registration begins at 11 a.m. with live music, with the luncheon beginning at 11:15 and concluding at 1:15 p.m. 
ere honored to have in attendance District 5950 Governor Mark Hegstrom and his wife, Colleen Hegstrom, as well as past District Governors Tim Murphy, Jim Nelson, Diann Kirby, Holly Callen and Sandy Schley. 
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I had the opportunity to spend some time at Camp Enterprise this past week and I was so elated to see so many long-time Rotarians, and new members, who were volunteering to ensure that 100 high school students had a learning experience about leadership roles and techniques in team development. All Rotarians should consider volunteering at this event. Next year Sam Thompson from our club will be chairing Camp E.
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The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Rotary International Vice President Jennifer E. Jones as program speaker at the Thursday, Nov. 3, meeting. Jones serves as Rotary International Board of Directors Vice President in 2016–2017 and is a member of the Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland in Ontario, Canada. Jones will speak about "The Future of Rotary." 
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Rotary International Vice President Jennifer E. Jones as program speaker at the Thursday, Nov. 3, meeting. Jones serves as Rotary International Board of Directors Vice President in 2016–2017 and is a member of the Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland in Ontario, Canada. Jones will speak about "The Future of Rotary." 
The annual Area 3 Rotary Veterans Luncheon is this Friday, Nov. 11, at Bearpath Golf and Country Club, 18100 Bearpath Trail, Eden Prairie. Registration begins at 11 a.m. with live music, with the luncheon beginning at 11:15 and concluding at 1:15 p.m. .jpg)
The Rotary Club of Edina, along with the Edina Chamber of Commerce and Edina Morningside Rotary club, will host a mixer for members and prospective members tomorrow, Wednesday, Nov. 9, at the Edina Country Club. The gathering will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. and will be a fun evening of connection and cross pollination..png)
You have two more chances to take part in the annual Fall Fireside Chats! Gordy Lewis will host members at his home tonight, Tuesday, Oct. 25. And Josh Sprague will host the final Fall Fireside Chat on Thursday evening, Oct. 27..jpg)
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Jennifer Smith as program speaker at the Thursday, Oct. 27, meeting. Smith is the founder and CEO of Innovative Office Solutions. She will speak about "Reinvention, Risk and ROL." .jpg)
Register now for a musical night out in St. Paul with your fellow Rotarians! The Membership Retention Committee invites Rotarians and guests for a social hour and dinner followed by a St. Paul Chamber Orchestra concert. We will gather at Bonfire Wood Fire Cooking, 850 Grand Ave. in St. Paul at 5 p.m. for the social hour. From 6 to 7:30, we will have dinner at the restaurant, which is only two blocks from the concert venue and is in the premier dining and entertainment area of St. Paul.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Jennifer Smith as program speaker at the Thursday, Oct. 27, meeting. Smith is the founder and CEO of Innovative Office Solutions. She will speak about "Reinvention, Risk and ROL." 
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San Asato reminded folks about the Veterans Luncheon on Friday, Nov. 11, at Bearpath Country Club in Eden Prairie. Registration begins at 11 a.m. with live music. Lunch and the program will be from 11:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. You can register 
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Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed David Aase as a member in November 2015. David's sponsor to the club was Josh Sprague. Click on the link to get to know David...
It started last Wednesday when Joe Hayes coordinated the Leadership Ethics Seminar for Edina High School students. The 65 students gathered with 30 Rotarians and other community leaders who acted as table captains to facilitate case study discussion. What a fabulous day! I know the students at my table walked away with a greater appreciation of “Doing the Right Thing” as they deal with ethical questions.
ay about 30 Rotarians and family members packed meals at Feed My Starving Children. In less than 90 minutes 36 boxes were packed, which meant 7,776 meals will be shipped to Haiti this week. Thank you, Brad Beard, for scheduling and recruiting all of these volunteers. I’m sure everyone left feeling great that we were are able to help those folks in Haiti whose lives have been ravaged by Hurricane Matthew.
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina in The Barker. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed David Aase as a member in November 2015. David's sponsor to the club was Josh Sprague. Read on to get to know more about David....jpg)
The Rotary Club of Edina will hold a Prospective Member Day at the Thursday, Oct. 20 meeting. All Edina Rotarians are encouraged to bring a colleague or friend that is interested in learning more about Rotary and our club. Lunch is on the club for all prospective members at this week's meeting! Make sure to have your guests check in at the front desk when they arrive.
The Rotary Club of Edina will hold a Prospective Member Day at the Thursday, Oct. 20 meeting. All Edina Rotarians are encouraged to bring a colleague or friend that is interested in learning more about Rotary and our club.
Hepp provided a light-hearted and well-prepared announcement about the Thanksgiving Baskets meeting scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 23. The parody left many fellow Rotarians asking, “Where do these veteran insurance executives find the time to rehearse their scripts for these speaking engagements? It’s simply astounding!”
usy time for the Rotary Club of Edina! We have already enjoyed our biggest event of the year—the successful Edina Rotary Foundation Fundraiser & Gala Oct. 1. The members of the Rotary Class of 2015–2016 organized a volunteer activity with Special Olympics of Minnesota and invited others to join in Oct. 8. We continue the busy month this week as Joe Hayes and his team of volunteers host Edina High School students at St. Patrick's Church in Edina today, Oct. 12, for the annual Leadership Ethics Seminar "Do the Right Thing." Rotarians and other volunteers will spend the day guiding students in small-group discussions about ethical decisions, and students will hear from a speaker and take part in a case study discussion with the entire group. Our club's participation in the VEAP food backpack program is ongoing during the school year, along with other Rotary clubs. Contact 
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The two Rotary clubs in Edina will gather for their annual fall joint meeting this Thursday, Oct. 13. The Rotary Club of Edina will host members of the Edina Morningside Rotary Club at 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club. The program speaker will be Apogee Enterprises, Inc. CEO Joe Puishys. 
The Rotary Club of Edina will hold the annual fall joint meeting with the Edina Morningside Rotary Club this Thursday, Oct. 13, at 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club. The program speaker for the meeting will be Joseph Puishys, CEO of Apogee Enterprises, Inc. .jpg){kind=logo}
The dust has settled and Deuces Wild has packed up and we now have memories of how we once were in a New York State of Mind. Thanks to those of you who attended our annual Edina Rotary Foundation Fundraiser & Gala Oct. 1 at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Bloomington..jpg){kind=logo}
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Thanks also to our sponsors. This area exceeded our expectations.
support.
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Join us for the Edina Rotary Happy Hour/Vocational Development Group. The next gathering will be Wednesday, Oct. 5, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Mezz, located upstairs in Lunds & Byerly's at 7171 France Ave. S. in Edina. Access The Mezz from the entrance closest to France Avenue (SW corner of the store). Wine and craft beer is available at your own cost. A limited menu may be available, but you can also purchase food in the grocery deli and bring it upstairs..jpg)
Join us for the Edina Rotary Happy Hour/Vocational Development Group. The next gathering is this Wednesday, Oct. 5, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Mezz, located upstairs in Lunds & Byerly's at 7171 France Ave. S. in Edina. Access The Mezz from the entrance closest to France Avenue (SW corner of the store). Wine and craft beer is available at your own cost. A limited menu may be available, but you can also purchase food in the grocery deli and bring it upstairs..jpg){kind=logo}
Marty Kupper and Past President Jennifer Bennerotte picked three winning raffle tickets at the Edina Rotary Foundation Fundraiser & Gala Oct. 1. The winners are:.jpg)
Caryn Sullivan will be the program speaker at the Thursday, Oct. 6, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. She will speak about "Living in the Moment, Preparing for the Inevitable." 
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Caryn Sullivan as the program speaker at the Thursday, Oct. 6 meeting. Sullivan is an award-winning author and columnist and an inspirational speaker. Her presentation is titled, "Living in the Moment, Preparing for the Inevitable." Her columns can be read in the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
ntroduced our speaker and John Solberg thanked our speaker. 
large project for our Club, a three-day event where 120 high school juniors and seniors attend sessions learning about all aspects of the free enterprise system. This year's Camp E is from Oct. 27 to 29. About 100 volunteers are needed for the event, and our club is still looking for volunteers, mainly as either mentors, venture capitalists and essay readers. Contact Kip Peterson or Sam Thompson for more information or to volunteer.
Terry Stevens, a member of the Youth Exchange Committee, gave a little background on the Rotary Youth Exchange program, started in the early 1970s, providing student exchange opportunities all over the world for students, ages 15 to 18. Terry reminded us we have two inbound students in Edina this year and two outbound students. He asked Club members to sign up to entertain the students—giving them a flavor for this area of the world—by inviting them to a play, dinner, going to your lake place or other options you think of. Contact someone on the Youth Exchange Committee to plan an event with our YE students Justine or Claudio. Members of the committee include Terry, Ian Colville, Heather Hansen, Mike Kallas, Deirdre Kvale, Chrysanne Manoles and Sonja Tengdin. Edina Morningside Rotary Club's Jenn Glass is the Youth Exchange Officer for the second year.
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The Rotary Club of Edina will hold a Prospective Member Day at next week's meeting, Thursday, Oct. 20. Prospective Member Day was moved from the Oct. 27 meeting to not conflict with the first day of Camp Enterprise..jpg){kind=small}
We are still looking for volunteers for 2016 Camp Enterprise and need help from Rotarians! We specifically need mentors, VCs and essay readers. Contact .jpg){kind=logo}
Don't waste a New York minute!.jpg)
We are working with Edina Country Club to resolve the audio issues, which I agree are very distracting at meetings. ECC staff have found issues with some defective cords and are checking out their total audio system. We will also be discontinuing the taping of our speakers effective at this week's meeting..jpg)
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dr. Jonathan Finnoff, DO, as program speaker at the Thursday, Sept. 22, meeting. He is an internationally recognized expert in sports medicine and is the Medical Director of the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center in downtown Minneapolis. Finnoff is also the Program Director for their Sports Medicine Fellowship. He is a professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in the Mayo Clinic School of Medicine. 
Dr. Jonathan Finnoff, director of the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center in downtown Minneapolis, is the program speaker for the Thursday, Sept. 22, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. He will speak about "Regenerative Medicine Treatments for Osteoarthritis." Finnoff is also team physician for the Timberwolves and Lynx basketball teams, and one of the head team physicians for the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Teams. 
ice bowling excitement before the meeting.
Susan Johnson and Royce Pavelka, co-chairs of the 2016 Fundraiser & Gala Silent Auction Committee, provided a partial listing of Silent Auction items and said that last call for items was this week. 
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Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina in The Barker. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed John Mazzara as a member in November 2015. John's sponsor to the club was Jim Roberts. Read on to get to know more about John....jpg){kind=logo}
Gala planning is in full swing and we expect a great turnout. Our Silent Auction inventory is low and we need your help. Please contact Susan Johnson at susan@fidelitybankmn.com if you have a Silent Auction item to donate.
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed John Mazzara as a member in November 2015. John's sponsor to the club was Jim Roberts. Click on the link to get to know John....jpg)
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dirk DeYoung, editor of the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, as the program speaker at the Thursday, Sept. 15, meeting. DeYoung will speak about "The Business Journal: Marrying Print & Digital." He will also discuss what the Business Journal reporters are watching in Twin Cities business activity.
Dirk DeYoung, editor of the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, will be the program speaker at the Thursday, Sept. 15, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. DeYoung will speak about "The Business Journal: Marrying Print & Digital." He will also discuss what the Business Journal reporters are watching in Twin Cities business activity.
Join the Rotary Club of Edina and the Edina Chamber of Commerce for the Walk to End Alzheimer's! The walk is Saturday, Sept. 17, at Target Field in Minneapolis..jpeg)
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Bill Sullivan as the program speaker at the Thursday, Sept. 8, meeting. Sullivan is the executive vice president for Basic and Applied Research in Surgery (IBARS). He will speak about "Advances in Organ Transplantation." .jpeg)
We were greeted by Dennis Hykes, Melinda Inman and Jim Platt. Royce Pavelka handled the front desk duty. Scott Neal shared a special invocation with us (more on that later), and led the Pledge of Allegiance and the Four-Way Test. 
ing on for the past couple of years. Each Thursday, Rotarian volunteers meet at VEAP to pack food bags for a student hunger project. The food bags are sent home with students in need each Friday to carry them over the weekend. Last year, we filled 6,312 bags of food and served 14 schools. Don is looking for volunteers to commit to one or two Thursday evenings this school year to pack food. Kenny Smith will be this year’s crew leader for our club.
Rotarian David Aase has announced the birth of a new potential member! David and his wife, Lauren, welcomed their second son, Calvin James Aase, on Aug. 18, 2016. Calvin weighed in at 7 lbs, 13 oz and was 21 inches long. Mother, baby and big brother are all doing well, according to the proud dad. .jpg)
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Joy King as program speaker at the Thursday, Sept. 1, meeting. King is the senior vice president of philanthropy and executive director for Be The match Foundation. The title of her presentation is "To be Determined." 
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Joy King as program speaker at the Thursday, Sept. 1, meeting. King is the senior vice president of philanthropy and executive director for Be The match Foundation. The title of her presentation is "To be Determined." 
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The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Richard M. "Dick" Schulze as the program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 25, meeting. He is the founder and chairman emeritus of Best Buy. Best Buy is celebrating its 50th anniversary this week.
Richard M. Schulze, founder of Best Buy, will be the program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 25, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Best Buy is celebrating its 50th anniversary this week. A St. Paul native, Schulze serves as Chairman of the Board and Founder Emeritus of Best Buy, along with roles as founder, chairman and/or president at three other companies. Much of his focus is on his philanthropy work, and he established the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation in 2004 to extend the reach of his charitable work. He is also the chairman of the board for the foundation.
lling Fundraiser raffle tickets and a Q&A about raffle ticket fun facts. .jpg)
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son thanked our speaker and told Dr. Howell about the donation in his honor to Edina Give & Go..jpg)
August is Membership Month for Rotary International and Edina Rotary Club, and we want to ensure that our club members are engaged and committed to the club. This all starts with attracting the right members! Yes, many of us joined with the thought of networking our businesses but soon discovered that there was more satisfaction in giving vs. receiving.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dr. Michael Howell as the program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 18, meeting. Dr. Howell is the division head of Sleep Medicine, Department of Neurology, at the University of Minnesota, as well as the medical director at the Fairview Sleep Center in Edina. He will speak about "Performance Enhancing Sleep.".jpg)
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dr. Michael Howell as the program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 18, meeting. He will speak about "Performance Enhancing Sleep."
a Country Club on Sept. 26, hosted by his Edina Morningside Rotary Club. 
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Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina in The Barker. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Toni Gerard as a member in March 2016. Toni's sponsor to the club was Josh Sprague. Read on to get to know more about Toni... 
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Toni Gerard as a member in March 2016. Toni's sponsor to the club was Josh Sprague. Click on the link to get to know Toni...
Rotary District 5950 Governor Mark Hegstrom will be the program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 11, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. He is the 2016–2017 District Governor for District 5950, which includes Minneapolis and suburbs, central and western Minnesota. Hegstrom is a member of the Edina Morningside Rotary Club. 
Rotary District 5950 Governor Mark Hegstrom will be the program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 11, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. He is the 2016–2017 District Governor for District 5950, which includes Minneapolis and suburbs, central and western Minnesota. Hegstrom is a member of the Edina Morningside Rotary Club. 
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This year’s Edina Rotary Foundation Fundraiser & Gala is almost here! The annual fundraiser is set for Saturday, Oct. 1, at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Bloomington! .png)
The Rotary afternoon at the ballpark is fast approaching! The deadline for registering for the St. Paul Saints game and picnic is this Friday, Aug. 5. 
What's more fun and entertaining than a Sunday afternoon watching our own St. Paul Saints baseball team?! And a picnic at the ballpark to boot! There is still time to reserve your spots to watch the St. Paul Saints at CHS Field near third-base Sunday afternoon, Aug. 14. And we also have made arrangements for a picnic on-site catered by the ballpark. The picnic starts at 3:30 p.m. and the game begins at 5:05 p.m.
The Rotary Club of Edina will hold a Vocational Day meeting at noon, Thursday, Aug. 4, at Express Metals, 8094 Excelsior Blvd., Hopkins. Lunch and beverages will be provided..jpeg)
The Thursday, July 28, meeting of the Rotary Club of Edina will be a Prospective Member Day! All Rotarians are encouraged to bring a friend or colleague that is interested in learning more about Rotary and joining our club. All prospective members get a free lunch on July 28! 
The Thursday, July 28, meeting of the Rotary Club of Edina will be a Prospective Member Day! All Rotarians are encouraged to bring a friend or colleague that is interested in learning more about Rotary and joining our club. All prospective members get a free lunch on July 28! 
She introduced her husband, three sons, daughters-in-law and grandchildren to our membership. She spoke about the nature of Great Clips as a family-owned business and described added elements of emotion, strength and stress coming from the family-owned business.
On Tuesday evening, July 12, a group of Rotarians attended the groundbreaking ceremonies for 66 West Apartments, which is located at the old TCF Bank building on 66th Street in Edina, between Xerxes and France. A year from now that facility will open to accommodate 39 young adults who have experienced homelessness. This project is spearheaded by the Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative, with support from many churches and organizations in Edina and the surrounding suburbs.
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The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Great Clips Chief Executive Officer Rhoda Olson to the Thursday, July 21, meeting. She was named CEO of Great Clips in 2011, after being promoted to President/Chief Operating Officer in 1998. Olson has been with Great Clips, headquartered in Minneapolis, since 1984.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Great Clips Chief Executive Officer Rhoda Olson to the Thursday, July 21, meeting. She was named CEO of Great Clips in 2011, after being promoted to President/Chief Operating Officer in 1998. Olson has been with Great Clips, headquartered in Minneapolis, since 1984.
he Edina Police Department. Edina Police Detective David Linen thanked the club for providing the Edina Rotary Foundation grant to the department this spring. The funding was used to acquire a software package that allows imaging of digital technology without altering evidence. This is extremely important knowing how technology evidence is now part of many legal cases.
red his experience from Camp RYLA. The Rotary Club of Edina sponsors students each year to the camp in Wisconsin, and Abdi was one of those students in 2015. Abdi stressed how much the camp helped him develop relationships and leadership skills for the future. He learned that knowledge is a path, and wisdom is a purpose. He was grateful for the opportunity to attend the camp and grow as a leader.
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The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome William Moyers as program speaker at the Thursday, July 14, meeting. Moyers, vice president of public affairs and community relations at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, will speak about "Broken: My Story of Addiction and Recovery."
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome William Moyers as program speaker at the Thursday, July 14, meeting. Moyers, vice president of public affairs and community relations at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, will speak about "Broken: My Story of Addiction and Recovery." Moyers is also an author and former journalist..jpeg)
Ann Platt kicked off her first meeting as president by wishing Gordy Lewis a happy 89th birthday! She then thanked Josh Sprague, Greg Yoch and David Hatzung for their help and participation in the Edina Fourth of July parade, where they walked with the superhero crew again this year. They reminded everyone that Rotarians are “everyday super heroes!” 
mily member. With this service, critical medical information will be provided to emergency responders when needed. In the photo at right with the Alzheimer's Association grant recipients and Jim Ryman are Rotarians Rick Carlson and Sue Spalding (both on left). 
At the final meeting of the 2015–2016 Rotary year, President Jennifer Bennerotte honored several Rotarians for their above-and-beyond service to the Rotary Club of Edina. 
The Rotary Club of Edina held its transition meeting, and the final meeting of the 2015–2016 Rotary year, June 30. The presidency of the club transferred from Jennifer Bennerotte to Ann Platt at the meeting. Ann officially took over as the 60th president of the Rotary Club of Edina July 1. 
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Meg Boehne as a member in January 2016. Meg's sponsor to the club was Scott MacDonald. Click on the link to get to know Meg....jpg)
For the first meeting of the new Rotary year, the Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Doug Baker, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Ecolab Inc., as the program speaker. Baker will speak at the Thursday, July 7, meeting about "Water Scarcity: A Report from the Front."
Kevin Strandberg were inducted to the club by Past Presidents Brad Hepp and Steve Slyce.
Service Director; Josh Sprague, Membership Director—Recruitment; Mary Swendsen, Community Service Director—Local Projects; and Foundation Board members Joe Christensen, Sandy Schley and Paul Mooty. Thank you for your service!
In keeping with the jersey theme Jennifer, a bit emotionally, read a letter that was written by a former player to the person who was next in line to wear her number. After that she told us how proud and honored she was to serve as our President this past year, and how she will miss being in on the little things. She thanked us all.
At the meeting, outgoing President Jennifer Bennerotte will reflect on the progress the club has made in the last year. Jennifer will serve on the club and foundation boards next year as Past President..png)
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The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Sister Mary Madonna Ashton as program speaker at the Thursday, June 23, meeting. Sister Mary Madonna was a 2016 National Women's History Month Honoree. This is the second-to-the-last meeting of the Rotary year.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Sister Mary Madonna Ashton as program speaker at the Thursday, June 23, meeting. Sister Mary Madonna was a 2016 National Women's History Month Honoree. She also served as president and CEO of St. Mary’s Hospital in Minneapolis, State Commissioner of Health under Governor Rudy Perpich and founded St. Mary’s Health Clinics. 
outshines any clouds or rain.
Lisa Walker and Hugh Hadlund outdid themselves with the amazing caterer, Divine Swine, and their delectable pulled pork and turkey. Oh, the barbecue sauce - they have the touch! Plenty of napkins, but this was finger-licking good. I saw more than one big kid with a touch of the red sauce on their nose or a dollop of the special frosting on the delicious cupcakes on their cheek.
equired that I leave before the last jug was juggled but the room was full of wows and awes and I can just imagine that things kept rocking with joy long after I left.
Isabel Bercaw. They surprised the most successful members of our club with their story of launching a company selling homemade "bath bombs." Their business has now grown to 320 stores in 30 states. Not bad for sisters ages 14 and 15 years.
The Rotary Club of Edina welcomes members and their guests to attend the annual Family Picnic Tuesday, June 14, at the Pavilion at Bryant Lake Regional Park in Eden Prairie. Members are encouraged to bring significant others, children and grandchildren to this event for all ages. There will be food, games, door prizes and music! Registration ends Friday, June 10, so make sure you get signed up now!.jpg)
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Lisa Walker as a member in December 2015. Lisa's sponsor to the club was Les Wanninger. Click on the link to get to know Lisa....jpg)
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome program speakers, and sisters, Caroline and Isabel Bercaw to the Thursday, June 9, meeting. They will speak about "Business is Booming! How a Pair of Teenage Sisterpreneurs from Edina Created a Successful Bath Bomb Business."
Local entrepreneurs, sisters Caroline and Isabel Bercaw, will be the program speakers at the Thursday, June 9, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. They will speak about "Business is Booming!: How a Pair of Teenage Sisterpreneurs from Edina Created a Successful Bath Bomb Business." The 14- and 15-year-old created the very successful business Da Bomb Bath Fizzers..jpg)
Terry Clark, Chief Marketing Officer for UnitedHealth Group, will be the program speaker at the Thursday, June 2, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Clark will give a presentation on "Today's Marketing." 
he suburbs. Nicole described the many programs that give homeless youth a better chance every day.
by Ms. Bennerotte and she introduced Edina Rotarian Chrysanne Manoles, who was the first female admitted to Edina Rotary—in the year 1998. Chrysanne presented the 2016 Award to Ann Swenson, Edina City Council member. Ann has pioneered several important projects for the city including two sculptures—"Spaulding" the dog and "Slapshot," a hockey icon. Ann was also instrumental in 66 West Apartments, supportive housing for southwest suburban youth and young adults who have experiences homelessness. Ann’s many accomplishments were noted by Chrysanne. 
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The Rotary Club of Edina presented the seventh-annual "Chrysanne Manoles Women in Leadership Award" to Edina City Councilmember Ann Swenson at the Thursday, May 26, meeting. The club gives this award out each year after soliciting nominations for women who live, work or volunteer in Edina. .jpg){kind=small}
The International Service Committee is hosting a New Generations exchange student that will be visiting Minnesota June 10 through July 3. Ji Hyeion "Andrea" Kim is majoring in Sports Medicine. The committee is looking for internship opportunities for her, as well as host families. Please contact Shelly Loberg at Shelly@Edina.org or 952-806-9064 if you can help. .jpg){kind=small}
The International Service Committee needs your help! We are hosting a New Generations Exchange student through Rotary International. Ji Hyeion "Andrea" Kim will arrive in Minnesota June 10 and will stay through July 3..jpg)
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome John Montague as the program speaker at the Thursday, May 19, meeting. He will speak about "Aspire to Greatness: How Two Minnesota Hockey Dads Solved a Real Problem and Built a Great Company." 
John Montague, co-founder of Aspire Beverage Company, will be the program speaker at the Thursday, May 19, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Montague, an Edina resident, will speak about "Aspire to Greatness: How Two Minnesota Hockey Dads Solved a Real Problem and Built a Great Company." 
John Solberg—PHF+1
Next Brad Hepp, a past president of our club, came up and introduced the newest member of our Rotary Club, Tom Cook. David Clynes is Tom’s sponsor. We learned that Tom's father was a past Rotarian in Florida, and was the past president and a Paul Harris Fellow, which has inspired Tom to get involved with Rotary. Tom is currently the Senior Priest of Saint Stevens Church in Edina. His classification will be Clergy. 
ht Med Express. Med Express is similar to an urgent care that we have here in the midwest. They purchased 170 stores that were located in the mid-Atlantic states. They felt this was a good step as it was brining a retail feel to health care. The current average visit at one of these clinics is 55 minutes and performs 90 percent of the services that an ER would, but that is cost effective, faster and has a nicer atmosphere than a hospital..jpg)
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Renee Harberts as a member in October 2015. Renee's sponsor to the club was Ann Platt. Click on the link to get to know Renee...
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Dirk McMahon of UnitedHealth Group will be the program speaker at the Thursday, May 12 Rotary Club of Edina meeting. He will give an overview of UnitedHealth Group as his presentation.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Dirk McMahon as program speaker at the Thursday, May 12, meeting. McMahon is the executive vice president and chief of Enterprise Operations for UnitedHealth Group. His presentation will be an overview of UnitedHealth Group, which is based in Minnetonka.
Rotarians Harold Hanson and Mike Kallas recently went on an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C., along with many other veterans from the Twin Cities area. Kallas accompanied his father, Mike Kallas, Sr., a veteran of World War II. 
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Kelly Schuller as program speaker at the Thursday, May 5, meeting. Schuller is the president of Viracon, located in Owatonna, Minnesota. He will speak about "Architectural Glass Made in Minnesota for the Vikings Stadium (and Other Large Projects)."
The meeting was called to order by Club President Jennifer Bennerotte at 12:30 p.m. Bill McReavy led us in the invocation, Pledge of Allegiance and Four-Way Test.
Sitek gave his classification talk. Mike is the oldest of six and grew up in Edina before embarking on a career that took him all over the country. He loves hockey and family and shared a picture of his large extended family and informed us that his dad has 22 great grandkids! He changed careers about nine years ago and now is a successful small business owner. Mike is very involved with both the Edina Chamber and Edina Rotary. .jpg)
hristian engineering company that builds safe-water solutions and has provided over 3,000,000 people with safe water in developing countries.
Rob applauded volunteers—sharing that over 140,000 hours are logged by them at the food shelf. Finally, Second Harvest is experimenting with bringing food or food options to where people are at. So they are working with hospitals and schools on information sharing. .jpg)
The Rotary Club of Edina will hold a Prospective Member Day Thursday, April 28. Rotarians are encouraged to bring friends or colleagues that are interested in learning more about Rotary and our club. Lunch is on the club for all prospective members April 28!
The Rotary Club of Edina is encouraging members to bring prospective members to the meeting Thursday, April 28. The program speaker at the meeting will be Rob Zeaske, CEO of Second Harvest Heartland. He will speak about "Feeding Our Hungry Neighbors." Rotarians should invite friends or colleagues that are interested in learning more about Rotary and our club. Lunch is on the club for all prospective members April 28! Contact Josh Sprague for more information.
Our keynote speaker, David Irvin, was introduced. David’s presentation was titled "Living Your Values, Taking Out the Grey Areas." David grew up in the Twin Cities, attended Cooper High School in New Hope and lives in Bloomington. He had a very successful professional, personal and community life, including coaching his children’s sports clubs.
Edina Noon Rotary President Jennifer Bennerotte thanked the speaker and adjourned the meeting.
Rotary Youth Exchange student Jein Im (shown in photo with District Governor Tim Murphy and her host mother Catherine Gump) gave us insight on her background and why she is so glad to have come to Minnesota. She is from Seoul, South Korea. Her dad is an electrical engineer and owns a small company, which her mom helps with. Since coming to Edina, she has worked hard to improve her English and see other cultures. She has done everything you are supposed to do in Minnesota—Grandview Resort (shameless plug for Cote family; Sam, please note The Barker writer this week); she attended the sweetheart dance at the high school; and participated in band where she played the flute. However, maybe the last memory she will take from being in Minnesota is fishing for walleye.
Libby Schmit gave her classification talk. She grew up in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, where she was member of the basketball team, as well as participating in the youth business group, DECA. The group undertook the task of raising money for the Salvation Army, which earned them a trip to the national competition. She enjoyed volunteering by reading to kids, and sees Rotary as a way of giving back to her community. She attended University of Wisconsin—Stout, while working full time and playing women’s rugby. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in marketing. It was also at Stout that she met her future husband. They are the parents of two kids, who after asking the club to answer a trivia question, were found to be tadpoles! Turns out Libby had natural water births and apparently if the kids are born this way they get a tadpole certificate! 
Ann Platt thanked the speaker promptly at 1:28 p.m., which provided one more opportunity for our President to speak and she did so with eloquence and grace (which helped to stave off any calls for impeachment) with the following Peter Frampton quote:.jpg)
The annual Vocational Ethics Day meeting for all Area 3 Rotary clubs will be Thursday, April 21, at the Edina Country Club. This special meeting will begin at 11:30 a.m. and the keynote speaker will be David Irvin. His program is titled, "Living Your Values, Taking Out the Grey Areas." The meeting will conclude at 1:30 p.m. 
The annual Vocational Ethics Day meeting for all Area 3 Rotary clubs will be Thursday, April 21, at the Edina Country Club. This special meeting will begin at 11:30 a.m. and the keynote speaker will be David Irvin. His program is titled, "Living Your Values, Taking Out the Grey Areas." The meeting will conclude at 1:30 p.m. .jpg){kind=logo}
The Rotary Club of Edina seeks nominees for the seventh-annual “Chrysanne Manoles Women In Leadership Award.” .jpg)
Rotarian Paul Peterson will be the program speaker at the Thursday, April 14, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. He has been a member of our club since 2012. He will speak about "The Power of Music, the Business of Music." Peterson, a member of "Minnesota's First Family of Music," will begin touring nationally with Peter Frampton in May. .jpg)
Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Kenny Smith as a member in September 2015. Kenny's sponsor to the club was Joe Christensen. Click on the link to learn more about Kenny....jpg)
Mike Max, sports reporter and anchor for WCCO-TV and Radio, will speak to the Rotary Club of Edina at the Thursday, April 14, meeting. .jpg)
Bill Milota, a member of the Community Service—Local Funding Committee, presented a check for $1,200 to Deb Sholl and Judy Mulvey from the Assistance League of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Deb explained the importance of Edina Rotary’s gift to the Assistance League, as it will be used to provide survival kits (clothes and personal accessories) for abuse victims in hospitals throughout Minnesota.
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Beth Goetz, Interim Director of Athletics at the University of Minnesota, will be the program speaker at the Thursday, April 7, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Goetz was named interim director in August 2015.
Rotarian David Aase gave his classification talk, and shared his reasons for joining Rotary with the group: to serve others, to live in gratitude, give back to the community and create new friendships. In addition, David shared the two most influential books he has read—Rich Dad, Poor Dad and 4-Hour Work Week.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Tony Buettner as the program speaker at the Thursday, March 31, meeting. Buettner is an organizational leader at Blue Zones, which puts the learnings of the world's longest-lived people to work in people's lives, families and communities. The title of Buettner's presentation is "Blues Zones: Secrets of a Long Life." Tony Buettner is the brother of Edina Rotarian Steve Buettner.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome two program speakers at the Thursday, March 24, meeting. Author Jim Hoey and longtime Edina High School boys' hockey coach Willard Ikola will speak about their joint effort in writing Ike: Minnesota Hockey Legend about Ikola's legendary career as EHS hockey coach from 1958 to 1991..jpg)
Author Jim Hoey and Edina High School hockey coaching legend Willard Ikola will be program speakers at the Thursday, March 24, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. They will speak about collaborating on the book, "Ike: Minnesota Hockey Icon." 
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Periodically we feature a newer member of the Rotary Club of Edina on our website. Our club welcomed Mike Sitek as a member in July 2015. Mike's classification is Handyman Services and his sponsor to the club was Ann Platt. Click on the link to learn more about Mike...
Rotarians were descending on Southdale Center Thursday, March 10, at noon. No, they weren’t on a shopping spree—it was Vocational Day at Z Italiano, a new full-service, casual, Italianesque restaurant just down the hall from Southdale AMC Theater's box office. It has replaced the old California Pizza Kitchen.
Zach Saueressig, the owner and operator of Z Italiano, then talked about his career and how he got to this point of owning his own restaurant. Zach is from Fargo, has three daughters and lives in Chaska. He has worked in restaurants all of his life. He started working in Shakey’s Pizza when he was in his teens. He then worked at Godfather’s Pizza. From there he opened up Green Mill in Fargo and became the general manager. This is when he decided that this was what he wanted to do with his career. He moved to manage Granite City in St. Cloud where he learned the fundamentals of the business.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Edina Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Ric Dressen as program speaker at the Thursday, March 17, meeting. He will speak about "Next Generation Facilities for our Learners of Today and Tomorrow." .png){kind=small}
Greg Yoch gave a classification talk. Greg talked about living in seven different states, including Minnesota, Massachusetts, New York, Illinois, Connecticut, California and Colorado. Greg spoke of a varied career, starting with undergraduate degrees in Economics and Political Science and a graduate degree in Marketing and Finance. He worked in banking and consulting and worked with Clorox in consumer packaged goods. Greg is currently working with about 30 other employees, including fellow Rotarians Gary Pedersen and his father, Ted Yoch, in a business known as Murals Your Way. Greg and his wife and daughter live in Edina. Greg is a terrific addition to our club..jpg)
The Rotary Club of Edina welcomed Shelly Loberg as a member in May 2015. Shelly's classification is Tourism, and her sponsor to the club was Brad Hepp. We highlight newer members of our club on the website periodically. Click on the link to learn more about Shelly.
The annual joint meeting for the two Edina Rotary clubs, hosted in the late winter/early spring by Edina Morningside Rotary Club, will be at 7:30 a.m. this Tuesday, Feb. 23, at the Edina Country Club. The program speaker for the meeting will be recently retired Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Alan Page. Please attend this joint meeting and make connections with our sister Rotary club!
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome author Stephen Yoch as the program speaker at the Thursday, Feb. 18, meeting. Yoch's book, "Becoming George Washington," was released in September 2015. He is the son of longtime Edina Rotarian Ted Yoch, as well as the brother of Rotarian Greg Yoch, who will introduce the program. .png){kind=small}
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District Governor Tim Murphy, a member of the Rotary Club of Edina, will be the program speaker at the Thursday, Feb. 11, meeting. He will speak about "What Does a Great Rotary Club Look Like?" Tim was president of the Rotary Club of Edina from 2006–2007. He took over as Rotary District 5950 Governor in July 2015, and will serve through June 2016.
Give to Rotary—the Edina Rotary Foundation and The Rotary Foundation. What's the difference?
The Interact Club of Edina High School, along with other community groups, is planning a "Skate to End Polio" from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, at the West Rink of Braemar Arena. Enjoy open skating with friends and family, along with great music and special lighting just for this Valentine’s day event. All proceeds go to Rotary's campaign to eradicate polio.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome James Eli Shiffer as program speaker at the Thursday, Feb. 4, meeting. Shiffer has worked at the Star Tribune since 2005, both as an editor and reporter. He will speak about "Journey to the Dark Web: Free Speech Zone or Criminal Hideout?"
The next regular Rotary Club of Edina meeting will be Thursday, Jan. 7. Kathryn Nordberg of Erik's Ranch & Retreats will be the program speaker at the first meeting of 2016. She will speak about "Erik's Ranch & Retreats: A First-of-Its-Kind Living and Working Model for Young Adults with Autism." Erik's Retreat in Edina is the Signature Project for the Rotary Club of Edina in the 2015–2016 Rotary year.
The program speaker for the Thursday, Dec. 10, Rotary Club of Edina meeting will be Keith Nelsen. He is the executive vice president and general counsel for Best Buy. 
Once again in December, the Rotary Club of Edina will be collecting gifts to donate to families in need this holiday season. Rotarian Jean Morrison will be accepting gifts for children of any age, as well as gifts for moms, dads and families, as part of the Rotary Holiday Giving Program. You have one last chance to bring unwrapped holiday gifts, gift cards or cash donations to the Rotary Club of Edina Holiday Party Dec. 17. 
Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Lexi Reed Holtum of the Steve Rummler Hope Foundation as program speaker at the Thursday, Dec. 3, meeting. She will speak about "The Dilemma of Chronic Pain and Addiction." The Edina Rotary Foundation, along with Rotary District 5950, awarded the Steve Rummler Hope Foundation a local grant in 2014. .jpg)
Rotary Club of Edina, along with the Edina Morningside Rotary Club, will gather this Wednesday, Nov. 25, at the Edina Country Club for the annual Thanksgiving Baskets Assembly. Members of the two clubs, along with their families and friends, will assemble baskets of food to deliver to families in need this Thanksgiving. 
Edina, Minnesota, Nov. 13, 2015 — As part of its focus on education and literacy, the Rotary Club of Edina is reading to third-grade classes at Normandale French Immersion, Countryside and Highlands elementary schools this month.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Elaine Wyatt as program speaker at the Thursday, Nov. 19, meeting. Wyatt is the executive director of WomenVenture, a Twin Cities-based nonprofit that provides women of all ages, cultures, races and income levels with the tools and resources to achieve economic success through small business ownership.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Ray Klinginsmith as the program speaker at the Thursday, Nov. 5, meeting. Klinginsmith was Rotary International President for 2010–2011, and is the Chair of The Rotary Foundation Board of Trustees. We will be joined at the meeting by the Eden Prairie Noon Rotary Club.
The Rotary Club of Edina, along with all Area 3 Rotary clubs, will host the annual Veterans Luncheon this Wednesday, Nov. 11, at the Edina Country Club. The keynote speaker at the event will be retired Major General Paul Rehkamp and the emcee is WCCO's Dave Mona. U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar will also speak at the event. Registration and social hour begins at 11:10 a.m., featuring the Rotary Brass Quintet. The lunch and program will begin at 11:30. 
Rotary Club of Edina is welcoming prospective members to the Thursday, Oct. 29, meeting! Those interested in our club and Rotary are welcome to attend the meeting and find out more about what we do! The program speaker for the meeting will be bestselling author Richard Leider. He will speak about "Life and Work Reimagined." Leider's books include "The Power of Purpose." 
France Avenue in Edina and the I-35W Bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis will be lit in shades of red and yellow on Oct. 24 to honor Rotary International’s fight to end polio called “End Polio Now.”.jpg){kind=logo}
This week the Rotary Club of Edina is holding their annual Vocational Day meeting. The Thursday, Oct. 22, meeting will be the Microsoft Technology Center in Edina. Because of space limitations, only 64 members will be able to attend the event. Members must register to attend the event due to security at the building. The meeting will begin at noon, so members are asked to arrive by 11:45 a.m. to get their name badge from Microsoft staff and find the meeting room. 
Brian Olson, Public Works Director for the City of Edina, will be the program speaker at the Thursday, Oct. 15, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. He will give an update on the Public Works Department and projects in the city.
Meteorologist Paul Douglas will be the program speaker for the Thursday, Oct. 8, Rotary Club of Edina meeting. Douglas writes a blog about weather for the Star Tribune, is founder of Media Logic Group and launched a new national weather channel, WeatherNation TV. He has 34 years of broadcast television experience and 36 years of radio experience.
The Rotary Club of Edina will host a joint meeting with the Edina Morningside Rotary Club this Thursday, Oct. 1. The program speaker will be Dave Murphy, CEO at Fairview Health Services. He is also president and CEO of Red Wing Shoe Company Inc. 
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome David Peters as program speaker at the Thursday, Sept. 17, meeting. He will speak about "Operation 23 to Zero: Fighting the War at Home." Peters, a U.S. Marine for 10 years and still in the Reserves, co-founded Operation 23 to Zero to provide soldiers and veterans a support network and to raise awareness of the rate of suicides in the military—22 veterans and one active duty soldier will commit suicide every day. One of the group's projects in the spring was to raise awareness by placing 23 pairs of military boots on the Minnesota Capitol steps to represent those men and women who will commit suicide that day. 
The Rotary Club of Edina is proud to announce that Jim Roberts is a new member of our Club. Jim's classification is Aviation, and his sponsor to the Club was David Clynes. Jim joined the Club May 7, 2015.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Jason DeRusha as the program speaker at the Thursday, Sept. 10, meeting. DeRusha is the co-anchor of WCCO 4 News This Morning program, airing each weekday on the station. He is also co-anchor of WCCO's Mid-Morning program.
As pop music critic for the Star Tribune, Jon Bream has attended more than 7,000 concerts, interviewed the King of Pop (Michael Jackson), the Queen of Soul (Aretha Franklin), Prince, Bob Dylan, U2, three Beatles, four Rolling Stones and all of Maroon 5. He has performed with Alice Cooper, jogged with Willie Nelson and smoked with Paul McCartney. His reviews and features have been published in countless newspapers and magazines from the Boston Globe to the Los Angeles Times and from Billboard to Vibe. 
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Brigadier General Greg A. Haase as program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 27, meeting. Haase is the the Vice Director Domestic Operations and Force Development for the National Guard Bureau. He will speak about "The Economy: A Pillar of of National Power."
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome its own Tim Murphy as program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 20, meeting. Murphy is serving as Rotary District 5950 Governor for 2015–2016. He will speak about his goals for the district this Rotary year, and the theme "Be a Gift to the World."
Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Tom Chorske as the program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 13, meeting. Chorske, a former professional hockey player, will talk about "The Culture of Championship Teams." He now works as a hockey analyst on Fox Sports North.
The Rotary Club fo Edina is proud to collaborate wth four other area Rotary clubs to fund new equipment for the Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute's Ski and Snowboard program. More than 1,200 lessons are given each season through the institute's adaptive ski and snowboard program.
The Rotary Club of Edina sponsored a clothing drive, along with the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans (MACV), at the July 23 club meeting. More than two van fulls of clothing were donated and will be distributed to area veterans and their families through MACV.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Jim Eppel as program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 6, meeting. Eppel will speak about "Healthcare 2015: Where Are We, How We Got Here, and What We Need To Do About It." He is president and CEO of UCare. 
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Rick Nelson as program speaker at the Thursday, July 30, meeting. Nelson is the restaurant critic for the Star Tribune, and recently gave up his anonymity as an undercover restaurant reviewer and allowed the public to know what he looked like—and if they were eating at the same restaurant as him. 
The Rotary Club of Edina is proud to announce that Dan Hare is a new member of our Club. Dan's classification is Residential Real Estate, and his sponsor to the Club was Mitch Robinson. Dan joined the Club April 9, 2015..jpg)
The Edina Rotary Foundation recently awarded a grant to install a neo-natal intensive care unit in Palampur, India, to provide low-cost or free care to the community there. An estimated 480 to 600 families are expected to benefit annually from the new unit..jpg)
Rotary Club of Edina will welcome David Nguyen of the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans as the program speaker at the Thursday, July 23, meeting. Nguyen is outreach manager at MACV. A clothing drive benefiting veterans and their families will be held in the Edina Country Club during the meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Boyd Huppert as program speaker at the Thursday, July 16, meeting. Huppert is a reporter at KARE 11 television in the Twin Cities, and reports on "The Land of 10,000 Stories" for the station. Jim Roberts will be officially inducted into the club at the meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina is partnering with the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans (MACV) to host a clothing drive for veterans and their families Thursday, July 23. Clothing will be collected in the Edina Country Club parking lot from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., during the club's weekly meeting.
Bob Dickey will be program speaker at the first meeting of the new Rotary year Thursday, July 9. An anaylist at RBC Wealth Management, Dickey will speak about "Market Maps: The Road Ahead for the Stock Market." 
Rotary Club of Edina past president Tim Murphy was installed as the 2015–2016 Rotary District 5950 Governor at a celebration dinner Thursday, June 18. Many members of the Rotary Club of Edina gathered along with members of many other Rotary clubs in the District, District Leadership, and special guests, to honor outgoing District Governor Jim Nelson, and welcome new District Governor Murphy.
Rotary Club of Edina held its last meeting of the 2014–2015 year June 25, and the presidency of the club transferred from Jeff Ohe to Jennifer Bennerotte. She is the 61st president of the club, which was chartered in 1957.
Mark your calendars! The Rotary Club of Edina has announced that the annual Fundraiser & Gala will be Saturday, Sept. 26, at the Metropolitan Ballroom & Clubroom in Golden Valley. The theme for this year's gala is "Lights! Camera! Rotary in Action!" 
Rotary Club of Edina members gathered with the community to dedicate the Veterans Memorial in Utley Park in Edina on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25. The club was a significant donor to the project. The memorial honors veterans of all the armed forces, including the 32 native and adopted sons of Edina who died in the time of war.
Give your child, grandchild or special young friend the gift of literacy while teaching them the Rotary Four-Way Test this summer! Two books about Rotary are available for purchase through President-Elect Jennifer Bennerotte. One of the books was featured this school year in a Rotary program with third-graders in the community.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Kyle Loven as program speaker at the Thursday, June 11, meeting. Loven is chief division counsel and media coordinator for the FBI's Minneapolis division. He will speak about "FBI in Minneapolis: ISIS Recruitment Efforts in Our Community." 
Rotary Camp Enterprise, a joint project between Edina Morningside Rotary Club and the Rotary Club of Edina won first place in the Youth Service category at the District 5950 Conference in Bloomington May 16. Camp E volunteer and Rotary Club of Edina member John Flynn created 
Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Sally Smith as the program speaker at the Thursday, May 28, meeting. Smith is the CEO and president of Buffalo Wild Wings. 
Recently, the Edina Rotary Foundation announced the organizations selected to receive grants for the 2014–2015 Rotary year. Six grants have already been awarded to Can Do Canines, Cornerstone, Fishing for Life, Fraser, Minnesota Life College, and YMCA Camp Ihduhapi.
The Rotary Club of Edina will honor Women in Leadership at the Thursday, May 21, meeting. The Club gives out the Chrysanne Manoles Women in Leadership Award each year. Speaking at the meeting will be last year's award winner, Kim Foote, as well as Bill Neuendorf, economic development manager for the City of Edina. .jpg)
The Rotary Club of Edina welcomes new member Dan Hennen (shown on the right in photo)! Dan joined the Club April 9, 2015, and was sponsored by Josh Sprague. Dan's classification is Commercial Banking..jpg)
The Rotary Club of Edina is proud to announce that Dan Hennen (at right in photo) is a new member of our Club. Dan's classification is Commercial Banking, and his sponsor to the Club was Josh Sprague. Terry joined the Club April 9, 2015.
Rotary Club of Edina member Bob Solheim will be the program speaker at the Thursday, May 14, meeting. He will speak about "The Magic of Hospice," and will focus on the philosophy of hospice and the history of the Club's support of a community asset known as Little Hospice.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome the Rev. Richard Coleman as program speaker at the Thursday, May 7, meeting. He is the executive director of Hope United Community Development Corporation and will speak about "North Minneapolis: Breaking the Cycle of Poverty." Rotarian Jim Ryman will serve as program chair and give his classification talk at the meeting.
Rotary Club of Edina will hold a Prospective Member Day at the Thursday, April 30, meeting. All Rotarians are encouraged to bring a friend or colleague to the meeting. All prospective members get a free lunch that day! The program speaker at the meeting will be Dave Lee of WCCO Radio. He will share his stories of his years in the radio business, as well as anecdotes about his good friend Sid Hartman. 
The next Rotary Club of Edina meeting is Thursday, April 16. The program speaker for the meeting will be Philip Lukhachi, and he will speak about "An Immigrant's Story." Lukhachi may be familiar to Club members as a part of "Team Moses."
The Area 3 Vocational Ethics Day will be Thursday, April 23, at the Edina Country Club. This annual spring meeting will begin at 11:30 a.m. and conclude at 1:30 p.m. All Area 3 Rotary Clubs are encouraged to attend, and high school students from Bloomington, Eden Prairie, Edina, and Richfield will be special guests at the meeting. The featured speaker at the event is John Rubischko, and his talk is titled "Life without Bars."
The Rotary Club of Edina will hold a joint meeting with Edina Morningside Rotary Club Tuesday, April 7, at 7:15 a.m. at the Edina Country Club. Program speaker will be Edina Schools Superintendent Ric Dressen, who will talk about the school bonding referendum set to go before voters in May. Dressen is also a member of EMRC.
The Rotary Club of Edina awarded the annual Chrysanne Manoles Women in Leadership Award at the May 21 meeting. The 2015 winner is Kris Marshall, Connecting with Kids director for the Edina Community Foundation.
The Rotary Club of Edina is proud to announce that David D. McElroy is a new member of our Club. David's classification is Business Development Consultant, and his sponsor to the Club was Skip Thomas. David joined the Club March 12, 2015.
The Rotary Club of Edina is proud to announce that Greg Yoch is a new member of our Club. Greg's classification is Custom Business Decor, and his sponsors to the Club were Gary Pedersen and Ted Yoch. Ted joined the Club Feb. 5, 2015.
The Rotary Club of Edina is seeking nominations for the seventh-annual "Chrysanne Manoles Women in Leadership Award." The award is given each year by the club to celebrate the work of women in the Edina community. Nominations are due by April 30.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome comedian Bill Arnold as the program speaker at the meeting Thursday, April 2. Based in Minneapolis, Arnold is best known for his long run in the comedy Triple Espresso...a highly caffeinated comedy. 
During the joint meeting of the Edina Morningside Rotary Club and the Rotary Club of Edina April 7, Tech Dump held a free recycling event. Community members were encouraged to drop off their used electronics equipment at the Edina Country Club to be recycled, at the same time helping support Tech Dump, a non-profit helping economically disadvantaged adults to obtain marketable job skills. The event was an amazing success, filling the Tech Dump truck in only two hours! 
Longtime Rotary Club of Edina member Jerry Potter was honored last week at the Connecting with Kids Leadership Breakfast for his incredible work starting the Leadership Ethics Seminar for Edina High School students, known as "Do the Right Thing." Jerry was one of four people given the Connecting with Kids Award from the Edina Community Foundation. He is shown at right at the 2014 Leadership Ethics Seminar, along with Rotary Club of Edina President Jeff Ohe.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Darrell Thompson as program speaker at Thursday, March 19, meeting at the Edina Country Club. Thompson, who holds the University of Minnesota record for career rushing yards, will speak about Bolder Options, the organization that focuses on healthy youth development. Thompson is president of Bolder Options, located in Minneapolis.
Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Terry Kerber as the program speaker at the Thursday, March 12, meeting. Kerber, a partner at a retirement investment group in Eden Prairie, is also an author. He will speak about the topic of his book, "Major Taylor, The Greatest Legend America Ever Forgot.".jpg)
The Rotary Club of Edina recently donated funds to the building of a new Emergency Room Center at Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina. And the club was instrumental in organizing other area Rotary clubs to also contribute to the fund. Rotarian Brad Beard, 
Recently, Rotary Club of Edina member Dan Hallberg had a hand in helping another area Rotary Club develop a program that puts bread into the hands of families in need. 
Rotary Club of Edina members are needed to help find candidates for the Rotary Peace Fellowships program. Rotarians should encourage anyone qualified and interested in this opportunity to contact Rotarian Axel Steuer. For more on the qualifications and contact info, continue on to the linked story....jpg)
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Amanda LaGrange as the program speaker at the Thursday, Feb. 26, meeting. LaGrange is the director of marketing for Tech Dump, a nonprofit organization that collects and recycles electronics and uses the proceeds from the recycling to create jobs for those with challenging work histories. She will speak about "Jobs for Junk."
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome one of our own members as program speaker at the next meeting, Thursday, Feb. 12. Longtime Rotarian Thom Winninger will speak about "What Are You Up Too?" and will read excerpts from his upcoming book, "Landing Up or Stepping Down! Where Are You Going From Here?"
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Jarret Brachman as the program speaker at the Thursday, Jan. 22, meeting. Brachman will speak about "Counterterrorism: ISIS and Al Quaeda." 
Members of the Rotary Club of Edina, along with friends and family, volunteered to ring the bell for the Salvation Army red kettle at the new Byerly’s in Edina this past December A lot of donations went into the kettle on Dec. 23, when Rotarian Josh Sprague and his four children energeticallly rang the bell (pictured at left)..jpg)
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Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Anne Mavity as the program speaker at the next regular meeting, Thursday, Dec. 4, at the Edina Country Club. Mavity is the director of new projects for Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative. At the meeting, she will focus on the new supportive housing project for youth scheduled to be constructed at 66th Street in Edina, called the 66 West Apartments. 
learned about the free enterprise system from adult volunteers, including many .jpeg)
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The Edina Rotary Foundation Fundraiser was held Saturday evening, Oct. 11, at the Sheraton Bloomington Hotel in Bloomington.
To provide high school seniors with a unique opportunity to learn about leadership, business and the free enterprise system, the Rotary Districts of Minnesota 5950 and Wisconsin 5960 will host Camp Enterprise Minnesota in late October. The cost of this unique business camp is free to the students involved. Students can register now with their local Rotary Club and find additional information available online at 
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Edina, Minn., Nov 8, 2012 – The Rotary Clubs of Edina along with the Rotary clubs of Maple Grove, Plymouth, Eden Parairie, Rogers, City of Lakes, Richfeild and Chaska will be hosting a Groub Study Exchange team from India in April, 2013. 
