Northfield Rotary Club

• Today’s Program: Linnea Johnson, Returning Exchange Student
• Birthdays: Rotarians around the globe.
• Next Week: Javier: Hello from Ecuador
• Last Week:
  Mathew Taylor had his travails during his year in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. But he emerged intact and grateful for the exchange experience.

  The first three months were difficult. He struggled with his Spanish, had far too much alone time with his first host family and found his school experience uninspiring. On top of that, the drivers scared him to death, and he was mugged on Christmas Eve.

  Not the best start, but with the turn of the calendar and a move to his second host family — remember Geri who spent a year in Northfield a couple of years ago? Her family — things turned around.

  “Once I got past that, it was so much fun,” he said. “Everything went so fast and pretty soon, I was home again.”

  Matt was able to travel throughout Bolivia with other  exchange students and found that to be the highlight of his trip. He also observed, sometimes first hand — an extremely dynamic, bordering on incendiary, political scene.

  Matt is now back at Northfield High School and looking forward to a return trip to Bolivia.

• Condolences: Longtime Rotarian Burton Peterson died on Tuesday, Jan. 1, at the age of 86. The club extends its condolences to his wife, Helen, and his family.
• Guests: Alex, Javier and Katrin (Quinnell), Matt Reppmann (Yogi), Cliff Taylor (Mittelstaedt) and Kip Coonley (Coonley).
• Scholarship Enhancement:  Fred Rogers
• Announcements:
• There are still tickets to be had for the “To China & Back” midwinter event Saturday, Jan. 26. If you are interested Rick Estenson has them at easy terms.
• Paul Harris Fellowships are available at a deep discount for a limited time. Bob Will, who should think about a second career hawking furniture on cable, says mega-billionaire Bill Gates needs are help. I think I detected an ironic twinkle in his eye as he uttered that sentiment. Anyway, it all goes to the eradication of polio. See Bob if you want to take advantage of this annual one-time offer.
• First a teacher/then a bard/Lutsky wants signs/In his yard. See Neil about his Burma Shave Sign Contest. Entries are due on Leap Day, Friday, Feb. 29.
• Coming Up:
  Jan. 24 – Chinese New Year, Tom Durkin and Rick Estenson
  Jan. 31 – Bill Ostrem – Non-motorized transportation, Safe Routes to School, (Chris Richardson)
  February 7 — (The Other Richardson)
• New Members
  Steve Ryan — Manager, Paint Products
  Jim Grabau — Sales Genome Sequencing

• Today’s Program: Mathew Taylor, Returning Exchange Student (Taylor)
• Birthdays: Marie Perry (12/31), Fred Rogers (1/4) and Curtis Tiano (1/6).
• Next Week: Linnea Johnson, Returning Exchange Student
• Last Week: The fabulous Troubadours took center stage and shared their holiday concert with us. Our own Gary Meidt conducted. Fifteen strong, the Troubadours’ song list included reverent patriotic tunes, buoyant pop medleys and traditional Christmas carols, all with barbershop harmonics. They hit it out of the park! The Troubadours are always looking for new blood. Don Anderson extended an open invitation to our members to consider joining their ranks. (Has he heard us sing?) Their rehearsals resume on Wednesday, Feb. 6. They practice from 12:30 to 2 p.m. every Wednesday and perform concerts in June and December.
• Guests: Scott Davis and Alex from Rio (Dilley).
• Scholarship Enhancement: John Stull and friends
• Announcements:
• Saturday, Jan. 26, will bring “To China & Back Fundraiser” featuring Gao Hong and the Chinese Dance Theater. Tickets are now available. Rick Estenson said volunteers will be needed that evening to usher and help with food. More later.
• Rotary is responsible for delivering Meals-On-Wheels January 13 - January 26. Contact Joseph Crippen if you can help.
• Marie Fritz Perry, our club’s very own children’s book author, appeared on KARE-11 TV last Saturday to promote her new children’s book “Cecil’s New Year’s Eve Trail. Congratulations Marie.
• Coming Up:
  Jan. 17 – Javier - Exchange from Ecuador,
  Jan. 24 – Chinese New Year, Tom Durkin and Rick Estenson
  Jan. 31 – Bill Ostrem – Non-motorized transportation, Safe Routes to School, (Chris Richardson)
• New Members
  Steve Ryan — Manager, Paint Products
  Jim Grabau — Sales Genome Sequencing

Today’s Program:

• Laura Caleal, 2008 U.S. Women’s Open (Crow)
• Birthdays: Craig Ellingboe (8/22)
• Next Week: Mill Towns Trail - Friends Board

Last Week:

District Governor Claire Lillis asked a simple rhetorical question of us last week: “What will be your legacy?” he asked. “For what will each of us be remembered in terms of service?”

He said he believes we were put on this earth to serve others, and he walks the talk. His volunteer resume is long and impressive. He and his wife, in recent years, have been working to build an orphanage in Mexico.

Claire shared the vision our new international president, Wolf Wilkinson of Canada, has for the coming year. His emphases are membership development and Polio Plus, putting a punctuation mark on a disease that has proven to be a stubborn adversary in its latter throes. It will cost $3.5 billion to “finish this fight.” All but $3.5 million has been raised. Claire hopes to raise $90,000 from the district to help underwrite the campaign.

He also informed us of a new millennium project taking shape in Nicaragua. Proposals are now being submitted and a final decision will be made in the spring. Claire is not apologetic about his hope of eradicating poverty, worldwide, by 2025.

So now it us back to us. He said to think about our personal legacy of service and to “be rich with good works.”

Guests:

Susie Beaumaster and Fred Faust (Neville), Lee Finholm, past District Governor, Kathy Stetman, Nancy Amerman, Molly Woerhlin and Catherine McBride (Cogan), Matthew Taylor and Javier Arevalo (Taylor).

Scholarship Enhancement: Candy Taylor

Appreciation

Rick Estenson paid tribute to all of the people who contributed to the community facilities that have been developed near Jefferson Parkway and Maple Street during the last few years. Jim Pokorney, Joel Welinski of the City of Northifeld, Charlie Cogan, and the late Jeff Amerman were instrumental in securing the land for the soccer complex. Ray Cox’s expertise was invaluable in getting the Amerman Pavilion built. The WINGS organization is largely responsible for the mist oasis and the Nutting family for the stone garden. Everybody’s Playground had a number of supporters, and the Al Haugen Bench will now finally find a home at the site. And, of course, Marilyn’s Place, a supportive housing project by the CAC and a beneficiary of the Rotary centennial gift., sits across the street.

“I compliment all of you,” Estenson said. “You were ready, willing and prepared to respond as the needs arose. It’s a wonderful club.”

Coming Up:

• September 6 — Bike Tour - Final Preparations
• September 8 — YIKES! BIKES!
• September 13 — Counting the money