The Rotary Club of Northfield

Congratulations to Alan Alberg, our most recent recipient of the Paul Harris award.  A former member, Al joined our club in 1980 and fondly recalls when women were first allowed membership.  Al has always valued how Rotary brings community members together in friendship and service. His award was presented at the May 9th club meeting. You can learn more about the Paul Harris Fellow program at the Rotary International web site.

Northfield Rotarian Richard Maus was recently honored with a Regional Service Award for a Polio-Free world at the District 5960 conference in St. Paul. Maus has been a tireless volunteer on behalf of Rotary’s efforts to eradicate Polio and has authored a book: The Lucky One: Making it Past Polio and Despair, a story about his childhood with the disease. Richard is one of only 10 Rotarians world-wide to receive this award in 2013.

You can read the Northfield News article on Maus’ honor here.

Northfield Rotarian Fred Rogers, his son Matthew, and granddaughter Kyra are featured in a New York Times article on pre-paid college tuition. I seems right up Fred’s alley since is Vice President and Treasurer at Carleton College.

The Northfield Rotary Club unanimously approved officers for terms running from July 1, 2013-June 30, 2014 at the March 21 meeting. The officers will be:

• President – Jim Prichard
• President-Elect/Membership – Matthew Rich
• Secretary – Erin Mayberry
• Treasurer – David Wolf
• International Service – Russ Halvorson
• Club Service – Michelle Lasswell
• Community Service – Judy Brown-Wescott
• Vocational Service – Missi Arens
• Communications/Public Relations – Kurt Larson
• Information/Technology (CICO) – Matt Hillmann
• Youth Protection Officer – Brad Frago
• Immediate Past President – Jane Fenton

Friends of Way Park are looking for more friends of Way Park. They are reaching out to community groups in search of park development ideas that honor the values that inspired the park’s original designation and its subsequent use.

Since Northfield Hospital relocated in 2003 from its home of 65 years on West Second Street, the group has been working to revive the park and create an open space that will be an asset for the entire community. Sarah Carlsen and Matt Rohn, chair and vice-chair, respectively, of the nonprofit group, explained both the history of the park and their vision for its future at the March 14 club meeting.

In 1933, the Way sisters, Laura and Lucille, deeded part of their family’s homestead in the 800 block between St. Olaf Avenue and West Second to the city for park purposes. In 1938, they agreed there was community benefit to a plan that would use half of the park for a hospital. Following the hospital’s move, the city decided the space should revert to park space and the Friends of Way Park was born.

Following the demolition of the old hospital, the park was unified when First Street was closed. Lots of sub-surface work has been done for drainage, an asphalt path as been created around the perimeter and donations from Knecht Nursery has helped repopulate the trees on the site. The Friends envision adding nature, music and water play elements, a memorial garden honoring the hospital’s legacy, a rain garden and more. If you have ideas or a source of funding, they would love to hear from you.