Edina, Minnesota, Aug. 24 — The Edina Rotary Foundation is accepting applications from non-profit organizations in Edina and its contiguous communities for grants to be used for capital purchases. Applications are due Oct. 31.
Each year, the Rotary Club of Edina raises money at a fall fundraiser to support its projects and award grants. This year, more than $100,000 was raised for the Club’s service projects and local and international grants.
The Foundation’s Community Service – Local Funding Committee favors grant requests for projects that are tangible and self-perpetuating, will be completed in Edina or a bordering community, create partnerships with other organizations, provide benefits to many and can be leveraged over time. Click on the link to learn more.
“Our service funding vision framework is to create partnerships with other organizations and clubs and to increase our participation in sustainable projects as well as provide funding for smaller grant requests,” said Keith Benson, Director of Community Service – Local Funding for the Rotary Club of Edina. “Our club focuses on funding for tangible items, rather than funding designated for operating expenses.”
After a grant application is submitted, it is assigned to a member of the committee for review. The committee makes recommendations to the Foundation’s Board of Directors, which makes the final decision on all awards.
Recent grant recipients include Erik’s Ranch & Retreat, Fraser, CornerHouse, Majestic Hills Ranch (Heroes on Horseback), Cornerstone, Edina Give & Go, Oasis for Youth, Alzheimer’s Association of Minnesota, Open Arms of Minnesota, Hearts & Hands and the Assistance League of Minnesota.
One of the Foundation’s largest grants this year will be given to assist with construction of a Community Room at 66 West, apartments for young adults who previously experienced homelessness. The new apartment building is scheduled to open in the spring of 2017.
Grant applications are available online at www.EdinaRotary.org or by contacting Benson, kabenson99@gmail.com. Completed applications can be emailed to Benson or sent to Edina Rotary Foundation, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424.
About Rotary
Rotary brings together a global network of volunteer leaders dedicated to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. Rotary connects 1.2 million members of more than 34,000 Rotary clubs in over 200 countries and geographical areas. Their work impacts lives at both the local and international levels, from helping families in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world. For more information, visit Rotary.
The Rotary Club of Edina meets Thursdays at 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club, 5100 Wooddale Ave. For more information about the Rotary Club of Edina, visit www.EdinaRotary.org. For more information about Community Service – Local Funding, contact Benson, kabenson99@gmail.com.
Edina Rotary Foundation Accepting Applications for Grant Money
Edina, Minnesota, Aug. 24 — The Edina Rotary Foundation is accepting applications from non-profit organizations in Edina and its contiguous communities for grants to be used for capital purchases. Applications are due Oct. 31.
Each year, the Rotary Club of Edina raises money at a fall fundraiser to support its projects and award grants. This year, more than $100,000 was raised for the Club’s service projects and local and international grants.
The Foundation’s Community Service – Local Funding Committee favors grant requests for projects that are tangible and self-perpetuating, will be completed in Edina or a bordering community, create partnerships with other organizations, provide benefits to many and can be leveraged over time.
“Our service funding vision framework is to create partnerships with other organizations and clubs and to increase our participation in sustainable projects as well as provide funding for smaller grant requests,” said Keith Benson, Director of Community Service – Local Funding for the Rotary Club of Edina. “Our club focuses on funding for tangible items, rather than funding designated for operating expenses.”
After a grant application is submitted, it is assigned to a member of the committee for review. The committee makes recommendations to the Foundation’s Board of Directors, which makes the final decision on all awards.
Recent grant recipients include Erik’s Ranch & Retreat, Fraser, CornerHouse, Majestic Hills Ranch (Heroes on Horseback), Cornerstone, Edina Give & Go, Oasis for Youth, Alzheimer’s Association of Minnesota, Open Arms of Minnesota, Hearts & Hands and the Assistance League of Minnesota.
One of the Foundation’s largest grants this year will be given to assist with construction of a Community Room at 66 West, apartments for young adults who previously experienced homelessness. The new apartment building is scheduled to open in the spring of 2017.
Grant applications are available online at www.EdinaRotary.org or by contacting Benson, kabenson99@gmail.com. Completed applications can be emailed to Benson or sent to Edina Rotary Foundation, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424.
About Rotary
Rotary brings together a global network of volunteer leaders dedicated to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. Rotary connects 1.2 million members of more than 34,000 Rotary clubs in over 200 countries and geographical areas. Their work impacts lives at both the local and international levels, from helping families in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world. For more information, visit Rotary.
The Rotary Club of Edina meets Thursdays at 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club, 5100 Wooddale Ave. For more information about the Rotary Club of Edina, visit www.EdinaRotary.org. For more information about Community Service – Local Funding, contact Benson, kabenson99@gmail.com.
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Contacts: Public Image Director Mark Jessen, 952-929-0346 or m_jessen@jessenpress.com
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Richard M. "Dick" Schulze as the program speaker at the Thursday, Aug. 25, meeting. He is the founder and chairman emeritus of Best Buy. Best Buy is celebrating its 50th anniversary this week.
A St. Paul native, Schulze founded his own company, The Sound of Music, in 1966. The business expanded to six stores in Minnesota by 1983, when Schulze renamed it Best Buy, adopted a warehouse format, and expanded into many more kinds of consumer products. The company soon went public and began a period of remarkable growth when Schulze revolutionized the industry by introducing the superstore to electronics. He served as Best Buy’s Chief Executive Officer from 1983 to 2002 and then as Chairman until 2012. He rejoined the company in 2013 as Founder and Chairman Emeritus.
Schulze has long supported nonprofit organizations in the Twin Cities and Minnesota, as well as made significant donations to the University of St. Thomas and other institutions. Schulze started The Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation in 2004. In June 2013, Schulze announced plans to gradually expand the Foundation from $100 million to about $1 billion. Schulze chairs the Foundation’s board of trustees. In years to come, Schulze hopes to be remembered by a personal legacy involving three major contributions through business, entrepreneurship education and philanthropy.
Hannelore Brucker will give her classification talk at the meeting.
One of the last summer Rotary lunches, Thursday’s was a warm and humid one with temperatures in the high 20s—28C to be exact (82F).
Dan Hennen, Brandon Azbill, Royce Pavelka and Kevin Strandberg greeted at the door and Royce enthusiastically handed out Edina Rotary Foundation Fundraiser & Gala Silent Auction donation forms to all people as they entered.
Past President Jeff Ohe helped out at the front desk, and Michael Opitz and Marty Kupper handed out raffle tickets for the Fundraiser & Gala to each member as we walked in. (Talk to Mike or Marty if you didn't yet receive your tickets to sell!)
Our esteemed President Ann Platt opened the meeting at 12:36 p.m. and the Invocation was read by Jon Barnett, who shared a powerful reading with our group about the value of a smile, and also conducted the Pledge of Allegiance, along with the Rotary Four-Way Test.
Steven Veker introduced our guests. Mike Kallas, a member of the Youth Exchange Committee, introduced the new Youth Exchange students to Edina High School—Claudio Huerta from Chile and Justine Onana from Belgium. They are sponsored by both our club and the Edina Morningside Rotary Club. Mike encouraged members to meet the students, and invite them to events, gatherings and even just over for dinner.
David Clynes introduced Mike Lehman as his guest at the meeting. Brandon Azbill introduced his father and wife, who were there to see him be officially inducted into the club at the meeting. Brad Beard, Sutton McGraw, Bill Milota and Mary Younggren also had guests at the meeting.
Ann Platt reminded us of the Oct. 1 Fundraiser & Gala, with the theme "New York State of Mind." Ann even had “two celebrities flown in” to pitch the Gala to the crowd—Billy Joel and Elton John in full costume flew in and gave us their best plug of why we all need to be there Oct. 1.
Marty Kupper and Michael Opitz also gave a brief shout out from the podium about the importance of selling Fundraiser raffle tickets and a Q&A about raffle ticket fun facts.
Ann announced the induction of two new members and asked one of our past presidents, Steve Slyce, to come up and formally induct the new members—Brandon Azbill, sponsored by Wooj Byun, and Jim Platt, sponsored by Ann Platt.
Ann then welcomed Brad Beard to the podium, who introduced our speaker—Dr. Michael Howell. Dr. Howell gave us the highly interesting presentation “Sleep & Performance,” where he taught us how sleep helps us become healthier and more successful in all areas of our life.
Colleen Simpson thanked our speaker and told Dr. Howell about the donation in his honor to Edina Give & Go.
Ann Platt also thanked the speaker, warmly welcomed the new members and reminded the group of the raffle tickets as she closed the meeting at 1:34 p.m.
Next week’s speaker is Richard Schulze, founder of Best Buy, so we should surely expect a full house on Aug. 25.
The Rotary Club of Edina’s Board of Directors recently approved the applicant below for membership:
Jen Tregarthen
Classification: Insurance Brokerage
Sponsor: Greg Yoch
Written objections to the application must be submitted before 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 7, to Rotary Club of Edina, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424.
2016 Edina Rotary Foundation Fundraiser & Gala
"New York State of Mind"
Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016
DoubleTree West, Bloomington
Presenting Sponsor
Platinum Sponsor
Washburn-McReavy Funeral Chapels and Cremation Services
Gold Sponsors
Baird
Brandpoint
Faribault Woolen Mill
Grandview Tire & Auto
The Tankenoff Families Foundation
Silver Sponsors
Cahill Financial Advisors
Christensen & Laue P.A.
EdinAlarm
Key Cadillac
North American Banking Company
Peters Billiards
Dr. Steven Veker, DDS—44th Street Dental
Wells Fargo Home Mortgage—Jody Kern
Bronze Sponsors
Abdo, Eick & Meyers
Edina Rotary Ethics Seminar "Do the Right Thing"
ESP
Fairview Southdale Hospital
Handyman Matters
Carl M. Hansen Companies
Hatzung Insurance
Hutchison Financial Advisors
Kallas Law Office
Mac & Mac
Morrison & Associates
Dan & Stacy Mott
Pearson Orthodontics
Bob & Rhoda Perkins
Kip & Rebecca Peterson
Pets Are Inn
Patti & Bob Solheim
Josh Sprague, Sotheby's International Realty
Bob & Vianne Stehlik
Terry & Marilee Stevens
Skip Thomas, Realtor—RE/MAX Results
The Wooddale Team of American Mortgage & Equity Consultants
The Edina Country Club will serve jerk chicken or salmon Caesar salad at the Rotary Club of Edina's Aug. 25 meeting.
The Rotary Club of Edina's Administrator, Jennifer Garske, works part-time Tuesday through Friday. To contact her, write to jgarske@EdinaRotary.org or call 612-875-3109.