After turning his Pimento Jamaican Kitchen into a safe space for protestors during the George Floyd uprising, then into a community food bank in the days following, Tomme Beevas knew the real work would begin when the cameras left. A former Cargill executive who left the corporate world to grow his restaurant beyond the original Food Network reality show-winning location, Beevas speaks the language of organizing. He started by launching Pimento Relief Services, a public benefit corporation providing operational resources to leaders on the front lines of the racial justice movement, and then created the Pimento Foundation. This fall, the Global Summit on Everything Food named him to the top 100 Leaders in the Food Industry. Join us for this inspirational speaker.
Edina Morningside has started their annual End Polio Now spring flower fundraiser. Please click the following link to get the details of the flowers for sale this year, Edina Morningside Rotary Club . Printable flyers and the order form can be accessed by clicking: Flower Order Form Garden Select KitsGarden Combo Kits Contact Talley Flora 952-893-0020 or email tlflora@redseat.com with any questions. Sale ends March 26, 2021.
Virtual Fireside Chats were created to help keep our members engaged and enhance a way to introduce and develop fellowship between our members. The next virtual Fireside Chat will be hosted by Josh Spring on Thursday, March 25 at 7:00 p.m. On Monday, March 29, Bonnie Sue Rolstad will host this virtual gathering beginning at 5:00 p.m. Please use the Fireside links at the top of the page to register.
Click on any date you'd like to go via ZOOM. In the spirit of creating an gathering that can more closely connect, we are limiting registration to 8 people per date. An email with a complete list of dates, times and hosts as well as Zoom registration guidelines will be sent soon. Please contact Susan Johnson at 612-718-6303 or susan@fidelitybankmn.com with any question regarding registration or attendance.
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 7. 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.
Sergeant First Class Joshua Guyse comes from central casting as a senior infantry instructor for the Minnesota National Guard: A sturdy six-foot-three, haircut high and tight, a feared-but-respected reputation as “the right hand of Satan,” in Guyse’s words. When he talks, you listen. One morning, the 48-year-old stood in front of the 175th Regiment Regional Training Institute here and spoke about something that has gone from relatively unspoken to top of mind in the military: Mental health and suicide prevention. “Nobody’s afraid to ask for help if they have a broken leg,” he said. “But if somebody has a mental health issue, are they comfortable coming to ask for help? Why not? Pride. Stigma. Shame. Afraid it might affect their career.”
On Tuesday, April 13th we will be joining with the Edina Morningside Rotary Club at 7:30 a.m. to celebrate the graduation of our Edina High School Global Scholars. Mark your calendars to attend this special event. This meeting will take the place of our Thursday, April 15th meeting. Additional details will be published at a later date.
Two Edina High School senior Global Scholars, Aashna Kumar and Emma Johnson, attended the Model G20 Youth Leadership Summit February 12-20. The 2021 theme of the summit was Addressing Climate Change. Rotary Club of Edina sponsored their admission to the summit.
Both girls won Exceptional Ministerial Delegates awards.
Aashna Kumar won the Best Minister of Energy for representing South Africa
Emma Johnson won the Best Minister of the Environment and Sustainable Development (attached) for representing Australia
In 2019, Edina High School (EHS) partnered with two Edina Rotary Clubs and the Edina Education Fund for a new program that will encourage and inspire students to prepare for global careers. The Edina Rotary Global Scholar program provides opportunities for students to connect with the Edina Rotary for mentoring and leadership training. Students will also work with peers from other countries on projects that have a global impact, and follow a learning pathway that will be recognized at graduation. Earlier this month, EHS Global Scholars, Aashna Kumar and Emma Johnson presented to the EHS school board which can be viewed by clicking HERE.
REGISTER HERE for District 5950 conference being held outdoors at Central Park in Brooklyn Center on Saturday, May 1. The year's theme is 'Rooted in Service, Growing in New Ways". The cost per person is $35 for adults; $15 for youth (18 and younger); $25 to attend via Zoom. Your in-person registration fee includes a Rotary mask and lunch. The Rotary Club of Edina will reimburse up to 20 club members for the cost of registration. Please send your confirmation of registration to Becci Michalski at rmichalski@edinarotary.org to receive credit on your next quarterly billing.
To see the agenda for the day and hear from District Governor, Tom Gump, please click "Read More" below.
The Rotary Club of Edina is working to assist a Minneapolis business damaged during civil unrest last summer.
Through a partnership with the Lake Street Council, several Rotary Clubs in Rotary International District 5950 are being paired with Minneapolis businesses damaged or destroyed in late May or early June 2020 to provide them assistance.
The Rotary Club of Edina has been paired with Post Plus, a packing, shipping and mailbox rental store at 2740 Minnehaha Ave. Post Plus is located in Minnehaha Center, a mixed-use development with businesses on the street level and housing above. It is very close to the Minneapolis Police Department’s Third Precinct headquarters and the post office that was burned during protests that followed the police killing of George Floyd.
On April 1st, our club will enter the 4th quarter billing cycle and your membership dues and meeting fees invoice will be emailed to you on April 2nd. If you'd like to experience the convenience of automatic payment from your checking account, please contact our club administrator, Becci Michalski at 952-215-7924; Email: rmichalski@edinarotary.org or in-person at the front desk. Payment can also be made by credit card through your member account at the Rotary Club of Edina website. Keep in mind there is a 5% convenience fee for this service.
Our club has received Thank You cards from Lynne (Thom) Winninger and Normandale Lutheran Church (Schley) recognizing our club's meaningful relationship and memorial. Click Winninger and Schley to read.
DUE TO TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES - THE RECORDING OF THE MARCH 18 MEETING DID NOT PROCESS. PLEASE RETURN NEXT WEEK.
Back to the hybrid version of your choice to attend club meeting via IN-PERSON or ZOOM platforms. The continued excellent editing talents of C-Vision Productions (Chris Laskowski) is allowing us to make better use of the taped and edited meetings posted weekly to You Tube and use them as our new "In Review" format. This will eliminate the duty of "The Barker" note taker/writer and we will, for the time being, no longer publish written reviews. In-person meeting photos will resume. Keep in mind watching the You Tube video counts as a make-up. Let Becci know what meeting dates you watched and she will mark you as attended.
We will post the link to the last meeting video taped (see above) and photos from the meeting. NO TAPE FOR MARCH 18 MEETING.
Menu -- Woodland Chicken or Oriental Chicken Salad
Thursday, March 25, 2021 there will be the hybrid version with in-person meeting at the Edina Country Club with doors open at 12:15 p.m. and ZOOM meeting beginning at 12:35. Please see our club web page and watch your email for meeting place updates.
The Rotary Club of Edina's Administrator, Becci Michalski, works part time and will respond to your inquiries within 24 hours. Contact her at rmichalski@EdinaRotary.org or voicemail /text message at 612-234-7390.
A Port in the Storm
Virtual Fireside Chats were created to help keep our members engaged and enhance a way to introduce and develop fellowship between our members. The next virtual Fireside Chat will be hosted by Josh Spring on Thursday, March 25 at 7:00 p.m. On Monday, March 29, Bonnie Sue Rolstad will host this virtual gathering beginning at 5:00 p.m. Please use the Fireside links at the top of the page to register.
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 7. Please contact committee member, Jennifer Bennerotte at 
Sergeant First Class Joshua Guyse comes from central casting as a senior infantry instructor for the Minnesota National Guard: A sturdy six-foot-three, haircut high and tight, a feared-but-respected reputation as “the right hand of Satan,” in Guyse’s words. When he talks, you listen. One morning, the 48-year-old stood in front of the 175th Regiment Regional Training Institute here and spoke about something that has gone from relatively unspoken to top of mind in the military: Mental health and suicide prevention. “Nobody’s afraid to ask for help if they have a broken leg,” he said. “But if somebody has a mental health issue, are they comfortable coming to ask for help? Why not? Pride. Stigma. Shame. Afraid it might affect their career.”
Two Edina High School senior Global Scholars, Aashna Kumar and Emma Johnson, attended the Model G20 Youth Leadership Summit February 12-20. The 2021 theme of the summit was Addressing Climate Change. Rotary Club of Edina sponsored their admission to the summit.
REGISTER HERE
The Rotary Club of Edina is working to assist a Minneapolis business damaged during civil unrest last summer.
Our club has received Thank You cards from Lynne (Thom) Winninger and Normandale Lutheran Church (Schley) recognizing our club's meaningful relationship and memorial. Click 
ZOOM MEETING, March 25, 2021 -- REGISTRATION