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About Rotary Club of Chaska

We are part of Rotary International, a secular, non-political, global network of 1.4 million committed individuals who volunteer their skills and resources to solve pressing issues and address community needs.

Notes From Our Most Recent Meeting

Bingo Anyone?

Keith Payne was our master of ceremonies during our November Social at Patron Mexican Restaurant in Chaska’s recently upgraded downtown.

Fifteen Rotarians and family learned the plan to hold Bingo sessions once a month at the restaurant.Tony Schimmel, our official caller, is a professional disc jockey, Karaoke-san, and Bingo-phile with lots of experience guiding events like this which benefit hosting establishments, groups like us, and especially the clients who enjoy playing Bingo for prizes and cash. The state of Minnesota requires a license to host this type of fun, so we’ll have to wait a month or so until we can advertise the event. We’re hoping to start in January.

Tony explained each step of the game and provided us with sturdy BANGO cards that enabled us to experience the thrill of victory and agony of defeat (apology to ABC’s Wide World of Sports!) Instead of the popcorn-like sound of bouncing bingo balls, we learned that the game has gone partially-digital and the numbers will be displayed on TV screens.

Rather than the plastic-windowed style of cards that were used in our indoctrination, the real games will be played on paper cards with ink stamps. Erin Kerber, Barbara Benston, Ken Hiller and Bob Chinnock were among those experiencing the fever of winning one of our evening’s games.

Don't Forget the Money Board!

Gretchen Oppriecht reminded us that we all could be winners by donating to the Money Board that will produce revenue and prizes at our Holiday Auction, scheduled for December 14. Numbers on the Money Board can be reserved for $20 apiece.

Polio Update

As of 10/27/23, we are at 10 new symptomatic cases of wild polio in the world. The cases are in Pakistan and Afghanistan.This number represents approximately 2000 carriers of the virus. Thank you for past donations. In addition to Every Rotarian Every Year contributing to Annual Programs of The Rotary Foundation, each Rotarian is encouraged to make a personal donation to Polio Plus. A “Polio Plus Society” is evolving District by District acknowledging individuals who pledge $100/year to polio eradication.

This is to bolster the request of Clubs to give $1500 from whatever fundraising is done in a year. Rotary International’s target each year is $50 million in order to maximize Bill and Melinda Gate’s Foundation match of $100 million.The number of Rotary Clubs in the world multiplied by $1500 is required for us meet that goal. Unfortunately, far too many clubs are not contributing to our flagship initiative and promise to eradicate polio. We have fallen short of our goal.

Thanks to each of you for celebrating World Polio Day on October 24th. I participated in a walk in Chicago during Rotary’s 25B and 29 Zone Institute and a celebration at Surly Brewing in Minneapolis for Districts 5950 and 5960. These modest efforts raised about $5400. Every bit helps.

Charity Navigator, which rates charities, has awarded the Rotary Foundation with their top - Four Star Rating for the 15th year in a row! Is there any other charity that tells its members that its mission will be accomplished in the next few years?

This is not the same old story of our nearly 40 year fight. The dwindling numbers of polio victims is evidence of progress each year. Within the last two years, Afghanistan opened up immunizations to millions of children we previously had no access to. And the oral vaccine available now is 50-100 times less likely to mutate and cause a case of Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio. We are seeing great reduction in these already rare instances.

I’ve been your Rotary District 5950 Polio Chair for 10 years and the excitement around this greatest public private health care initiative in history never gets old for me. I’m happy to come out to any club with a variety of speeches you may choose from to inform and excite your members. Please make certain your club makes a minimum $1500 donation to The Polio Plus Fund of The Rotary Foundation this year. Thank you!

Yours in Rotary Service,

Tim Mulcrone

Rotary District 5950 Polio Chair

Rotary Exchange Student Update

There was no update this week.

STRIVE Update

Bob Chinnock, along with four Rotarians and Chaska High School counselor Ryan Smith, led a dozen STRIVE students on a four-hour bus trip, visiting both Normandale Community College and Hennepin Technical College. Both schools offer in-person and online studies and apparently a lot of help in choosing curricula and employment pathways.

The students learned about the many academic and career programs both schools offered.