On Tuesday evening, July 12, a group of Rotarians attended the groundbreaking ceremonies for 66 West Apartments, which is located at the old TCF Bank building on 66th Street in Edina, between Xerxes and France. A year from now that facility will open to accommodate 39 young adults who have experienced homelessness. This project is spearheaded by the Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative, with support from many churches and organizations in Edina and the surrounding suburbs.

Our Community Service—Local Funding Committee, headed by Keith Benson (shown here second from left at the groundbreaking with fellow Rotarians Jim Ryman, San Asato and Tom Cook), has been working hard on obtaining a $9,000 matching grant from District 5950 for the $30,000 Community Room at 66 West. This is our Signature Project for the 2016–2017 Rotary year. We found out last Monday that the grant request has been approved by the district. The project was able to receive this large of a matching grant due to collaboration with six other Rotary clubs. As we we get closer to the open date for 66 West, we will have to provide "sweat equity," which will involve setting up furniture along with other tasks.

The contribution from our club, which will total just under $15,000, will be the result of the Edina Rotary Foundation Fundraiser & Gala, set for Oct. 1, 2016. This is just one of many projects that our club can be part of because of the fundraiser.

We are excited that 66 West will call it the "Rotary Community Room" and the room will feature a sign recognizing all the clubs that are involved. This project is truly evidence of "Rotary Serving Humanity."

 

 

Club President Ann Platt called the meeting to order by sharing some recent updates of Rotarian participation in the community. Recently club members have participated and supported the groundbreaking of 66 West in Edina, the 2016–2017 Signature Project for the club. And Paul Peterson performed at the Peter Frampton concert, with more than 60 Rotarians in attendance to support Paul. A pre-concert cocktail party for Rotarians at Rock Bottom Brewery was also well attended.

 

Dan Mott attended the front desk, while Wayne Harmon, Ian Colville, and Tom Cook served as greeters. San Asato provided the invocation, Pledge of Allegiance and Four-Way Test.  Skip Thomas introduced and acknowledged our guests in attendance, including:

Sam Thompson, 2016 Fundraiser & Gala Co-Chair, provided an update regarding this year's event. The Gala will be Oct. 1, 2016 at the DoubleTree Hilton. The club is fortunate to auction off two tickets to the Ryder Cup as a fundraiser prior to the gala. Because this event is in the near future, the auction will be held July 28. If you cannot be in attendance, you can email Sam directly to place a bid on the tickets.

July 28 is also Prospective Member Day. Rotarians are encouraged to bring a guest to the meeting who may be interested in joining the club. Prospective members are not charged for their meal on Prospective Member Day.

 

Libby Schmit, a  member of the Community Service—Local Funding Committee, announced a grant to the Edina Police Department. Edina Police Detective David Linen thanked the club for providing the Edina Rotary Foundation grant to the department this spring. The funding was used to acquire a software package that allows imaging of digital technology without altering evidence. This is extremely important knowing how technology evidence is now part of many legal cases.

 

Abdi Ali shared his experience from Camp RYLA. The Rotary Club of Edina sponsors students each year to the camp in Wisconsin, and Abdi was one of those students in 2015. Abdi stressed how much the camp helped him develop relationships and leadership skills for the future. He learned that knowledge is a path, and wisdom is a purpose. He was grateful for the opportunity to attend the camp and grow as a leader.

 

The Rev. Thomas Cook gave his classification talk at the meeting. Rev. Cook’s classification is Ministry. He has spent 19 years in the Episcopal Church. His service in the church is aligned with the principles of service to human kind that Rotary represents. Tom was raised in Florida and is a 1989 graduate from the University of Florida. Early in his career, he was a lobbyest for the State University System in Florida. He was later called to service in the ministry of the church. His father, Robert Cook, was a founding member of the Rotary Club in Tavares, Florida. Tom has three children. His oldest son is in the restaurant industry in Pittsburgh. His other son, the middle child, serves as an Army Ranger, and his 15-year-old daughter plays hockey for Edina and is preparing to get her driver's license. Rotary has been a part of Tom’s life since he was a boy and he continues to enjoy the values of Rotary as an adult.

 

Tim Murphy introduced guest speaker William Moyers. Moyers, vice president of public affairs and community relations at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, spoke about "Broken: My Story of Addiction and Recovery."  
 
Moyers joined Hazelden in 1996 and has dedicated his career to eliminating barriers to recovery from addiction to alcohol and other drugs. As Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation's vice president of public affairs and community relations, he carries the message of hope, health and healing to policy makers, the media and communities across the nation.
 
Moyers is also the best-selling author of “Broken: My Story of Addiction and Recovery” and “Now What? An Insider’s Guide to Addiction and Recovery.” He has appeared on Larry King Live and Oprah and is a regular contributor to Good Morning America. As a former journalist for CNN, his work has been featured in the New York Times, USA Today and Newsweek.

 

William shared that nearly 20 years ago he joined the Hazelden Foundation. Years ago, he prepared a speech for a group of Rotarians about addiction in the workplace. As he began to speak and share statistics and expert opinion, he soon realized the need for personal connection. William shared that he is an addict in recovery. He was living proof that anyone can be susceptible to addiction and that an individual's brain processes addiction differently. While we are all wired differently, there is a solution—personal responsibility. It took William four stints in rehab for his addiction to go into remission. The Minneapolis/St. Paul community serves as a crossroads in America for recovery and support. The problem of addiction has never been more serious, and it is important to understand empathy and support for people who struggle with personal addiction. 

 

Scott MacDonald thanked Mr. Moyers for his moving and genuine message with a club donation on Moyers' behalf to Edina Give & Go. Club President Ann Platt adjourned the meeting. 

 

 

Finally, there is still time to register for the St. Paul Saints baseball game and Rotary picnic at CHS field in Lowertown, St. Paul, Sunday, Aug. 14. Cost is $30, and that gets you into the game and pre-game picnic to boot! Seniors and kids get $1 off the price. Picnic time is 3:30 p.m with the game starting at 5:05 p.m. It should be a great afternoon and evening for one and all! Bring your significant other, your kids or your grandkids! Please register yourself and any guests online by Friday, Aug. 5, so that we can plan for the event. If you have questions, please contact Event Chair Don Hutchison.