As much as Mother Nature tried to freeze out the historic joint meeting of the Rotary Clubs of Minneapolis and St. Paul, she was no match for the enthusiastic throng of energetic Rotarians that assembled at the St. Paul Doubletree Inn to greet Rotary International President Gary Huang and his wife Corinna.

 

Sub-zero outside temperatures proved to be a challenge for heating the large meeting space with a massive glass wall and towering atrium, but President Gary brought everyone to their feet and into action with a vigorous training session on “happy clapping.”

Sharing duties at the podium for the day were St. Paul President John Guthmann and Minneapolis President Mary Ann Nelson, a tandem that functioned with near-precision dexterity as they rolled through an incredible agenda of presentations describing the many benevolent projects sponsored by the two clubs.  Also on hand for the ceremony was Rotary International Director Mary Beth Growney-Selene who drove through the snow from Madison, WI. Even with the plethora of presentations, the Presidential Tandem brought the meeting to conclusion as promised precisely at 1:30 p.m.

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Pictured (left to right) Mary Ann Nelson, John Guthmann, Mary Beth Growney Selene, John Huang, Karel Weigel and Jim Nelson.

Assisting the presidents today were:Image

Song Leader - Jim Field (Club 10)

Piano - Doug Hartford (Club 10)

Invocation - Carol Bufton (Club 10)

Thought of the Day - Kalsey Beach (Club 9)

Four-Way Test - Gary Marquart (Club 9)

Mayors of both Saint Paul and Minneapolis provided proclamations that were presented by St. Paul Deputy Mayor Kristin Beckmann and Minneapolis city official Beth Grosen.  Paul Harris Awards were made to St. Paul Rotarian Larry Morgan and Dave Paxson of Minneapolis.

ImageAmong the 200 guests present were Zone 28-29 Director Mary Beth Growney Selene from Madison, WI, 5950 DG Jim Nelson, 5950 DG-elect Tim Murphy, and 5960 DG Karel Weigel

Jim Kosmo
Scribe