FEBRUARY 21, ROTARY IN REVIEW: Terryl Blumm & Jim Meinen

Posted by Pamela Chandler on Feb 23, 2017
 
Jerry Faletti (standing in for President Chuck) called the meeting to order at 12:15.  David Laird led the club in singing America the Beautiful, accompanied by Bob Jones on the piano. Jason Bradshaw led the club in prayer for the Inspirational Minute. Kristin Montpetit introduced visiting Rotarians and guests. 
 
Carly Stuber and Bo Aylin introduced all of the new members who have joined the club in the last 6 months.  They are:  Mark Moores (Moores Insurance Management), Segundo Velasquez (Mano a Mano), Ruth Watkins (Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphony), Josh Windham (Union Gospel Mission), Jean Vukas-Roberts (Hazelden), Litton Field Jr. (Bearance Management Group), and Lindsay Weier (Minnesota Wild).
 
Carly and Bo reminded the group that our goal is to have 15 new members by July 1 and announced that the member who sponsors the most new members by 4/15 gets two free tickets to La Boheme at the Minnesota Opera.  The Summit Beer membership promotion is still ongoing. 
 
President-Elect Faletti promoted next week’s meeting, which will be Fast for Hope. Lunch will the light (soup and breadsticks), but money saved on lunches will be donated to Fast for Hope.  Please attend this meaningful meeting.
 
Todd Nicholson introduced the program, which focused on the literacy partnership between Boys and Girls Clubs and Groves Academy, and featured Terryl Blumm (CEO of Boys and Girls Clubs) and Jim Meinen (Senior Director of Business Operations at Groves Academy). 
 
Terryl and Jim talked with us about their organizations’ compatible missions. 
 
Boys and Girls Clubs Mission:  To enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. 
 
Groves Academy Mission:  We build confidence, success and purpose through transformative learning experiences.
 
The two organizations have partnered together to help build literacy amongst Boys and Girls Clubs participants.  The partnership launched last September and is already off to a great start.  Groves is working with students at 5 Boys and Girls Clubs with a goal of improving literacy by 1.5 levels by the end of the school year.  Midyear assessments indicate they are on track to meet their goals.  The partnership represents a $300,000 investment by Boys and Girls Clubs and the hope is to expand it to more locations in the coming years.
 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

 

 

Pam Chandler