Learn about upcoming speakers, events, last meeting's presentation, and other club updates.
Upcoming Speakers
June
29 - Matt Podhradsky, Year in Review
July
6 - Holiday Week, No Meeting
13 - Mary Hernandez
Upcoming Events
Club Announcements
Invocation: Kevin Eide
Keith Payne stood in for Matt Podhradsky and led our meeting today. Kaylee McClellan Kraus and Robin Nesburg posed for their photos with their new Rotary Badges.
Cindy Anderson provided this week’s reminder of River City Days and the request for staffing our Wine Booth. Set aside the last weekend in July for this annual Meet and Greet event. Sign up at our next meeting.
FINEMASTER
Vic Benetti broke the new tradition of trivia questions for tables to produce our “all in good fun” fines and went back to the old tradition of making fines that were up close and personal (but still with a smile). Those who received the Best of Benetti: Keith Payne, George Glaros, John Roebke, Bob Lindall, Nate Bostrom and Erin Kerber.
Happy Dollars were donated by Gretchen Oppriecht, Dan Keyport, Kevin Eide, Gary Cooper, and John Roepke.
ROTARY EXCHANGE STUDENT - Natasha Palmelund
Natasha Palmelund is with her East Coast Bus Tour.
PRESENTATION:
Jessica Bartholomew, A.C.T. United
Jodi Hesse introduced Jessica Bartholomew, the founder and Executive Director of A.C.T. United. The Anti Child Trafficking United organization was founded in 2015 “to fill a gap in anti-trafficking efforts by launching a unique, bold model of prevention”. It brought “three things that were missing equal representation in an already effective and growing movement to end human trafficking:
A strong model of prevention for youth
The inclusive story of who is impacted by this health and human crisis
A strong message and method of UNITY!
We will not end sexual exploitation and trafficking of youth by responding to it, we end it by getting ahead of it in prevention.”
From handouts, slides and an impassioned presentation, Jessica shared the message quoted above and details that clearly characterized the issues as relevant to our community and state. She defined juvenile sex trafficking – To exploit a person under 18 by facilitating the exchange of something of value for any sex act. Minnesota has the 3rd highest rate of child sexual exploitation crimes in the nation, with over 5,000 high school students as victims in 2019.
Jessica identified the common vulnerabilities of youth involved in trafficking, exploitation and “sextortion”: homelessness, runaways/missing, involvement in criminal justice system, foster care, financial hardship, poverty, marginalized, isolated, undocumented families and no prevention education or early intervention.
ACT United works towards prevention, representation, and youth leadership to empower youth, families and communities. Jessica pointed out examples of partnerships with the Chaska Herald, Latino Voices, community events, youth awareness programs, Police departments, and groups like Rotary.
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