Becoming a Human Rights City topic of Jan. 21 program

The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Steve Winnick as the program speaker at the Thursday, Jan. 21, meeting. Winnick, a longtime member of the Edina Human Rights and Relations Commission, is working to move Edina to become a Human Rights City. Feige, former Edina Rotarian Ellen Kennedy and others are working together to give Edina this aspirational title, intended to guide individual, community and city actions.

 

The Edina Human Rights and Relations Commission has taken on a global initiative from the United Nations called Human Rights Cities, endorsed at the 2014 national meeting of U.S. mayors. This initiative calls for cities to guide their strategies for education, health, housing, etc. by the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Edina is part of this effort. One of the steps the Commission and others working toward this goal are taking is to bring this message widely to people who live, work and study in Edina.

 

Winnick is a retired lawyer. He practiced in the Twin Cities for 40 years as partner, board member and in the business law department chair at Briggs and Morgan and since retirement has consulted with various law firms. He is a University of Minnesota alum from both undergrad and law school. Winnick is also a U.S. Army ROTC grad, with active duty as first lieutenant from 1961 to 1963. He has been married for 54 years to Arlene. They have two children, both Edina High School grads, and four grandchildren. 

Winnick is a member of the Edina Human Rights & Relations Commission and chairs its affordable housing committee. He is also a member of the Human Rights Cities committee. He has been very active in local issues. He is the former president of the Cornelia School PTA; co-chair of the first Edina schools referendum; and a member of several Edina schools task forces. He’s the former president of the Twin Cities Marathon; a board member of: legal advice clinics; Minneapolis television community access network; PBS channel 2, Twin Cities Public tv (tpt); the Lupus Foundation, MN chapter. He is also the recipient of Briggs and Morgan’s pro bono service award.

 

 

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.