Dec 7 - Vocational-Avocation Happy Hour

The speaker for Wednesday, December 7th will be Edina Rotary Club, Past President Josh Sprague.  Josh is a full-service luxury real estate agent with Lakes Sotheby’s International Realty in Edina and started his real estate career in 2000, representing hundreds of clients in the Edina, Minneapolis and Southwest metro area. This gathering will be hosted by Josh at Lakes Sotheby's International Realty new 50th Street office suite located at 3946 W 50th Street, Edina. Cocktails will be served beginning at 5:30 p.m. with a tour of the office and program scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
 
Read more below for additional details about Josh and the origins of this Edina Rotary Club and Edina Morningside Rotary Club collaborated Avocation/Vocational Happy Hour event. Contact Wade Thommen at wadethommen@cbburnet.com with questions.
Josh Sprague is a full-service luxury real estate agent with Lakes Sotheby’s International Realty in Edina, Minnesota. He started his real estate career in 2000 and has represented hundreds of clients in the Edina, Minneapolis, and Southwest metro markets.  Shortly after moving to Edina in 2006, Josh joined the Rotary Club of Edina and has served in a variety of positions, including Gala Chair, Membership Chair, Club and Foundation Board Officer and Director.  He served as Club President in 2019-20.  Josh founded the Edina Car Show, a local fundraiser and public relations event for his ERC, the Rotary Global Scholars Program at Edina High School, the Interact Club of Edina, and the Coban, Guatemala Water Project and Service Trip.
 
Josh grew up in Minneapolis where he attended Blake Schools and Minnehaha Academy. He earned his B.A. from Bowdoin College in Maine, and his J.D. from Brooklyn Law School in New York. He also studied and lived abroad in Europe, and speaks both French and Italian fluently.  In addition to his Rotary work, Sprague has served on the Edina City Council.
 
Here is a little more info about the origination of the Edina Rotary Vocational Development Group from Rotarian Kip Peterson. We are all, no doubt, familiar with Rotary's Four-Way Test.  You may not be familiar with the Object of Rotary, which states, The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster: FIRST.  The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service; SECOND.  High ethical standards in business and professions; the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations; and the dignifying of each Rotarian's occupation to serve society; THIRD.  The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian's personal, business, and community life; FOURTH.  The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.

The concept of vocational service is rooted in the Second Object.  In order to put these ideals into action, Rotary International makes the following suggestions: Talk about your vocation in your club, and take time to learn about fellow members' vocations.  Practice your profession with integrity, and inspire others to behave ethically through your own words and actions. Guide and encourage others in their professional development. With this background in mind, the purpose of the Vocational Development Group is to provide club members the opportunity to share their profession, to expand their network, to encourage professional development, and to foster the ideals of integrity and ethical business practices.

While I expect the format will continue to evolve, the meetings will initially consist of approximately 30 minutes of social time, followed by a short program from one of our own members starting at 6 p.m. sharp. The presenting member will have approximately 15-20 minutes to share information that is relevant to their professional followed by a short Q&A period. It is my hope that, as part of their presentation, they will tell us more about what they do, what type of client/customer they serve, connections they would like to make, and connections they are willing to share.  After the program, the meeting will conclude with another brief social period, which must conclude no later than 7 p.m.

We hope you will join us. Please feel free to extend an invitation to prospective members, as well as members from other clubs.