Regular Meeting - February 9, 2023 (Feb 13, 2023)

Thursday, February 9, 2023

Today our meeting was led by President Theresa Slominski. John Osterman led our song and Julie Fish said our blessing.

Attending
Dirk Barrett, Julie Fish, Neil Gagnon, Molly Hanson, Heather Kliewer, Mark Kuyava, Dr. Laura Mullennex, Cal Portner, Pete Reiner, Debbi Rydberg, Theresa Slominski, Marv Sorvala, honoraries Bob Maxwell, John Osterman, Bruce Tyler

Program
Today, due to a communication snaffu, we had two programs! Our first program was Spark 2 Hope. Founder, Lana spoke to us. They were founded in

2021 to bridge the gap in services for children with special needs and disabilities. They offer sensory rooms, which include a gym, tactile room, music room, light room and art room. These rooms can help regulate some behaviors, sensory input and increasing fine motor coordination; gross motor movement; communication skills; visual stimulation and coordination. They offer services such as day camps, summer care and after school supports. Staff provide supervision and support with social and life skills. An inclusive place where children forge friendships. They also offer open gym on Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm, offering 1.5 hours for $10. This is open to the public. They also offer that you can host a birthday party at their center! Their mission is to provide school aged youth with special needs with a cornerstone for development. To provide a safe and engaging environment for children to grow social, emotionally, spiritually, physically and intellectually. They are located at 555 Railroad Drive, Suite D in Elk River. 763-260-0182 or email info@spark2hope.org For more information go to www.spark2hope.org

Our second part of our program was a Taste of Elk River discussion program, led by Dirk Barrett. Dirk shared with the group, our “To Do Now” items which include:
-Food Vendors - he asked all of us to assist with the task of getting food vendors to participate in the Taste of Elk River. Rotarian Katie Harstad has a list of possibilities so if you know of one, please connect with her and also reach out to Food

Vendors to ask if they would be interested in joining our wonderful event. Think outside the community also . . . Nowthen, Ramsey, Albertville, St. Michael, Zimmerman, Big Lake, Monticello, Anoka. This year, we are asking the Significant Donation Recipient (YMCA for 2023) to offer 10 to 20 volunteers to help with staffing the food vendor tables. We will also be offering a $200 stipend to the food vendors this year. Food trucks are also invited to come, but must realize this is a sample event and they will not be selling their food, but giving it out for free.
-Sponsorships - Dirk is hopeful to have the Sponsorship Packets ready to go shortly. Bonnie Koste is once again leading the charge on the Sponsorships, but Dirk asks that all of us gather sponsors as well. If you know of someone, a sponsorship packet will be available in print and electronically.
-Cal Portner has agreed to be our Baseball Commissioner again this year and it was announced that Bruce “Buck” Tyler will be the Drug Czar.
-Heather Kliewer has agreed to lead out Silent Auction again this year also!
- Treasurer Neil Gagnon believes that $12,000 is slated for the 2023 Signature Donation Recipient, which is the Elk River YMCA. It was noted that we need the “tag line” for them for our advertising items.
Thank you Dirk Barrett, for leading us through the 2023 Taste of Elk River and to Katie Harstad for agreeing to assist!

Announcements

-Debbi Rydberg has ordered the 4 Way Test yard signs and stakes.
-February is Rotary’s Share the Love month and funds are being raised! Rotary.org, the hit the Donate button. This month, if you give $100 or more, your points will be matched. if you give $365, you will receive 1000 points, which is enough for a Paul Harris Fellow recognition. If you give $1000, you will receive 2000 additional points and would be eligible for three Paul Harris Fellow recognitions. Thank you for your gift!
-Next week, there will be a board of directors meeting, following our regular board meeting, if there are enough members present, due to many being gone on vacations to wonderful, tropical places!

-Card draw . . . An ace of clubs was pulled and there was not a winner.

Happy Bucks

-Molly Hanson was happy for a fun time last night at the rotary SOCIAL! at Chow; and happy that in 43 hours she leaves to go to the Florida Keys for vacation time!
-Heather Kliewer was also happy to be going to Fort Myers, Florida then on to Denver, Colorado to visit her grands! She was also happy for a great Untied We Shiver event!
-Neil Gagnon was also happy to be leaving for a vacation with family to Mexico! He also had a shout out for a great time at the rotary SOCIAL! at Chow!

-Bob Maxwell had a great happy buck story about his son, who, 30 years ago, played hockey for a movie called Mighty Ducks. His son was a goalie for the Hawks in the movie. Last Sunday, over 100 people came to the Emagine Movie Theatre in Monticello to watch the movie and celebrate it’s 30 year marker!
-Debbi Rydberg was happy to get on the “it was fun train” for the SOCIAL! She was also happy to report that she logged 12 volunteers hours for Rotarians at United We Shiver!
-John Osterman was happy to have had the chance to call the game for the Elks boys basketball. His nephew plays on the team as a point guard and sunk a 3 pointer to put him over his 1,000 point marker! They stopped the game to acknowledge his accomplishment!
-Mark Kuyava was happy for the upcoming Home Show in Elk River this weekend. He will also be on the Presentation Stage, so come check it out!
-Theresa Slominski was happy for the SOCIAL!
-Bruce “Buck” Tyler was happy that Dr. Laura Mullennex is going to invite the new CEO Guardian Angels, Traci Larson to speak to us. Bruce is happy because he is hopeful that Traci may join our group!

Together we recited the 4 Way Test of the things we think, say and do and then President Theresa rang the bell of dismissal!

Thursday, February 2, 2023

Today our meeting was run by President Theresa Slominski! John Osterman led us in song and Neil Gagnon led us in prayer.

Guests: Tim Boerger, guest of Heather Kliewer
Maria, heard about Elk River Rotary and wanted to check us out!
Plus many guests who are a part of our program today!

Attending
Julie Fish, Neil Gagnon, Molly Hanson, Katie Harstad, Heather Kliewer, Mark Kuyava, Tove Lichty, Dr. Laura Mullennex, Pete Reiner, Kat Sarff, Theresa Slominski, Marvin Sorvala, David Vinje, Nicole Wojcik, Bill Yueill, honoraries Bob Maxwell, John Osterman and Bruce Tyler

Our program today was led by Neil Gagnon. Neil invited representatives from the non-profit groups that we recently gave donations to. He called them all up front and presented them with an oversized fake check (real checks have been received) and asked each one to tell us what they are using the funds for! CAER will be using the funds for youth programs and youth outreach; Rivers of Hope will use the funds for youth advocacy in schools; Main Street Family Services will use the funds to collaborate with Open Doors For Youth with parent education and video curriculum for youth parents; Elevier Women’s Center will be using the funds for medical and support services for young single mothers with educational materials and medical help; Spark 2 Hope will use the funds for their facility which provides play breaks to care takers of kids with disabilities; Open Doors For Youth will use the funds for mental health therapy that they provide at their center at no charge to the youth; Thumbs Up will use the funds to help with their after school program where they serve both middle and high school kids; Sherburne County Area United Way will use the funds to go towards their Dolly Parton Imagination Library program. They currently have 1400 youth involved in this program; YMCA will use the funds to help with the child care crisis that they are in. The funds will help people get their child care licenses. Neil and Theresa both thanked all of them for coming today to share their information with us.

Celebrating a full house today.

Announcements

-United We Shiver Event is this Saturday and we were reminded that Elk River Rotary will have a table at the event and will be giving away free hot cocoa. Debbi Rydberg has been leading the charge on this. If you are able to help out, please be at Big Lake Beach at 11:45.

And HERE we are......

-Past President, Tove Lichty told us about the Rotary Share the Love Campaign that is going on now. February is Rotary’s anniversary and there is a fund raising drive going on with some pretty great perks! If you give $100, it will be matched. If you give $365, your points will be matched at 1000. If you give $1,000, you will receive 2,000 additional points and will have 3 Paul Harris Fellow awards to keep or to give away. This is running through February only so if you feel it in your heart to give, now is the time. Please go to Rotary.org and click on the donate button!

-President Theresa Slominski called Tove Lichty back up to the front. Tove lives by example, and she has reached a milestone in giving to Rotary.org. Theresa presented Tove with her 5 Paul Harris Fellow pin! It has 5 sapphires on it! Theresa read a quote from Paul Harris and presented Tove with her new very special pin! Congratulations Tove and thank you for being such a wonderful example to all of us!

-Happy Birthday song, the $10 version, was joyfully sung to Bob Maxwell!

-Card Draw - an 8 of diamonds was pulled and no one had a match!

Happy Bucks

-Theresa Slominski was happy to be going to catch a hockey game for the team that her daughter coaches for. She was also happy for the sunshine we are having!
-Nicole Wojcik was happy for an upcoming roadtrip this weekend to Rapid City to meet up with her step son. She also let us know she won’t be at rotary next week as she will be spending time with her mom who’s having a medical procedure.
-Julie Fish was happy to tell us that her mom is doing well after a fall in the bathroom in the middle of the night last weekend. She was also happy for Tove’s gift of giving; happy for all of the non-profit representatives who are present and happy that David Vinje was present at out meeting today!
-Neil Gagnon was happy to be taking a family trip to Mexico Feb. 11 to 18!
-Katie Shatusky (guest from Thumbs Up) was happy to plunge into the cold waters with Heather Kliewer and Cindy Ley!
-Heather Kliewer had one more “shameless plug” with flyers and a QR code so one can log on and give her a donation to jump in the lake! She had a sad buck for the loss of a friend and community member who passed away too young!
-Bill Yueill was happy for a dog musher event last Saturday where a lot of kids attended and it was a winter fun party!
-Cindy Ley (guest from Open Doors For Youth) was sort of excited and happy to that she is currently in the lead for donations between her and Katie Shutusky. The winner will get to push the other in the lake!
-Julie (guest from Main Street Family Services) was happy to be here and to have a dollar to not jump in the lake as she will be in Mexico on vacation!
-Tove Lichty paid a couple of on her honor IOU’s and was thankful for the recognition. She feels it is important to walk the walk! She was also happy for a great trip to Hawaii and enjoyed time in paradise!

President Theresa Slominski led us in the 4 Way Test of the things we think, say and do!