AUG 26, 2014 ROTARY IN REVIEW:
Greg Lais, Wilderness Inquiry
President John Guthmann opened the meeting with the traditional bell ring. Joe Kovarik, PDG, led the club in our National Anthem (in a perfectly comfortable key), with Dennis Boom at the piano.
Carol Bufton delivered an Inspirational Minute/Invocation. President John recognized the day’s greeters Elyse Jensen and Peter Zellmer and encouraged the group to think membership.
Past President Nancy McKillips introduced visiting Rotarians and guests, including Greg Knaup from Hudson Daybreak Rotary and Ramesh Daswani, Immediate Past President of the Bombay Central Club (India) who exchanged club flags with President John and 7 year-old future Rotarian Dylan McKillips from Madison, WI.
Remember there is neither a Tuesday meeting on September 2 nor a Fellowship Breakfast on September 4.
Jay Pfaender talked up our next Rotary speaker, Doug Baker, CEO of Ecolab, who will address the club on September 9.
The club delivered a rousing round of Happy Birthday to Rotarians with August birthdays, led by Joe Kovarik, PDG, who was also sung to as a birthday boy!
Linda Mulhern invited club members to the airport tonight to welcome Naniko from Japan for her youth exchange.
Past President Captain Jim Kosmo presented a “Mark Weber Service Above Self Award” to Carley Stuber for her outstanding work training the table leaders for our successful Values Day last May.
Carla Hauge kicked off the annual rose sale, one of our biggest fundraisers for the club’s Foundation. Roses will be available for pick up on Thursday, September 25 ($18 pre-sale, $20 day of sale). If we have 100% participation, we can beat our goal of raising $10,000 for the Foundation. Buy, sell, or donate roses to be sent to charities, make a straight up donation to the effort and/or sign up to sell roses in the skyway.
Against the strains of Pomp and Circumstance, Shelly Rucks and President John conducted the Red Striper Graduation to recognize recent members. Congratulations to the “graduates”, all of whom are already serving on committees or volunteering for our many service opportunities.
Elyse Jensen would have collected happy dollars had time permitted.
Mike Anderson introduced Greg Lais. A true outdoor boy, Greg has been around the world both on foot and by canoe since founding Wilderness Inquiry, which has been bringing people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities since 1978. Last year, the group served 18,000 people (including 2,500 with disabilities, 7,500 students of color and 9,000 youth) through 300 adventures around the world.
Share the Adventure takes participants around the world using adaptive gear – like turning a wheelchair into a rickshaw for easier travel over rough terrain. Families Integrating Together helps entire families and their children with disabilities experience the outdoors together. Urban Wilderness Canoe Adventures gets kids onto the Mississippi River right here in Saint Paul in Voyageur canoes. Canoemobile brings environmental literacy to urban youth in 50 cities across the country, starting with a trip to DC at the invitation of President Obama.
Their business model of place-based education begins with introduction to the wilderness, moving up through building trust and teamwork, developing grit and determination, to internships and permanent in environmental/outdoor careers (which accounts for 5% of all jobs in the
country).
Upcoming events include the 4th Annual Great River Race on September 13. Volunteer paddlers are needed!
Dylan McKillips rang the closing bell.
Respectfully submitted by Michael-jon Pease