Learn about upcoming speakers, events, last meeting's presentation, and other club updates.
Upcoming Speakers
Meetings will be at Crown of Glory church, unless noted
January 2026
Jan 15 – Club Committee meetings, Music Fest Recap
Jan 22 – Youth Exchange Program – Erin Kerber + Ane Otsby
Jan 29 – To be determined (Jim Bach)
February 2026
Feb 5 – To be determined (Gary Hardel)
Feb 12 – To be determined (Kevin Eide)
Feb 19 - To be determined (Greg Anderson)
Feb 26 – To be determined (Robin Nesburg)
March 2026
Mar 5 – Membership Drive
Mar 12 – Joe Beckman
Mar 19 – Membership Drive
Mar 26 – Think GREAT, Erik Therwanger
Upcoming Events
Jan 19 – Dr. Martin L. King Jr Day celebration, Chaska Event Ctr, 8:00 AM
Jan 20 – Book labeling party, Chaska Family Learning Center
Feb 21 - Hooked on Books, Chanhassen High School
Feb 23 – Rotary Awareness Day at State Capitol
Link to District 5950 Calendar of Events This includes Jan – June activities and meetings related to Rotary Foundation, Polio Plus, President-elect Education, activities of other clubs, special events. Note: Rotary Awareness Day 2/23/26. Incoming President Learning Seminar 3/12-14/26.
Link to Carver County Local News Community Events This includes events and activities such as the Landscape Arboretum, regional parks, Carver County Public Health, local entertainment, church events and the cities’ winter events.
Jean Heyduck presided today due to both co-presidents being absent.
Jean announced the birthdays and club anniversaries for January.
Lindsey Hagen invited donations to a raffle that supports Waconia’s youth hockey program.
Bob Chinnock let us know the STRIVE students will be completing scholarship applications today.
Erin Kerber reminded members to arrange for slide presentations to be sent to her by the Tuesday before the meeting.
Gretchen Oppriecht may miss meetings this semester as she is responsible for a student teacher.
HAPPYDOLLARS
Wayne Ward and Susana DeLeon were the only ones happy enough to donate today.
ROTARYINTERNATIONAL
Phil Solseng provided information about the Rotary Club in Pirmasens, Germany. Located in southwest Germany, it was the site of John Roebke’s Army service, and Neil Wingert’s genealogy research. LINK to their website.
YOUTHEXCHANGESTUDENT: Ane Otsby
Ane spend the school holiday relaxing with her host family and her friends.
INTERN: Gonzalo Romero
Gonzalo mirrored Ane’s vacation activities with his friends and soccer practice.
PRESENTATION: Sue Valiton, Overture International Efforts in Haiti
Pat Schaffron introduced her friend Sue Valiton, who told us about the organization Overture International and its efforts to aid children in Haiti. Pat and Sue had traveled several times to Haiti but had to stop because of escalating violence and weakened safety assurance for visitors.
Sue made her first visit in 2009 after she had been invited to support an orphanage in Port au Prince. Many of the children there had been placed by parents too poor to provide support for their child. In 2018 she made her last trip and by then, she’d experienced the effects of hurricanes and collapse of social infrastructure, but also had been deeply impacted by her connections to the children in Haiti and their precarious environment.
Sue described the dedicated groups and non-profits that are working to provide education for children, housing for them and their families, and nutrition (similar to Feed My Starving Children) that is purchased from local resources. We were encouraged to learn more about these efforts through the website www.overture.international.
Invocations can be a faith traditional prayer, or a meditation, or inspirational verse or quote. Brief 20 – 30 seconds. Light-hearted is okay. Option: focus on our Mission of Service Above Self. Need an idea – Google Rotary Invocations.
