In review

Posted by Dan Hennen on Jan 05, 2017
 
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.
 
President Ann Platt closed the meeting.