Invocation: Rick Ness

 

Cindy Anderson introduced Tonia Teasley, Chief Executive Officer of the Minnesota and Dakotas Region for the American Red Cross.  Tonia previously worked at Untangle the Knot, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit advocating to simplify access to services for people with disabilities, an organization she founded. 

Beyond her professional experience, Teasley serves as a board member for Beyond Walls Urban Squash Twin Cities, a nonprofit focused on building academic excellence, character and well-being for youth in under-resourced communities.

Ms. Teasley recalled that she was initially inspired by visiting the Red Cross shelters that were established during California wildfires. Throughout her presentation, Tonia was able to include details that portrayed the personal effect of the organization in its many facets – emergency response, collecting 40% of our country’s blood supply, helping armed forces members, training for swimmers and lifeguards, CPR and first aid education, help for refugees, and coordination with other Red Cross/Crescent groups.

Current challenges include serving parts of community with people of color and Native Americans that might be underserved by mainstream methods.  She noted the rising severity of weather- and climate-related emergencies. Tonia welcomed the high school graduates to engage with the Red Cross and maintain the relationship through their lives so the good work can continue through the generations.

For more information about the many aspects of the Red Cross that provide help, and that could benefit from your support: www.redcross.org/local/mn-nd-sd.html

 

Finemaster and Happy Dollars: No finemaster today but happy dollars were given by Matt Podhradsky, Nate Bostrom, Andy Haugen.

 

Payton Wurtz - Texas Christian University
Kendall Karmann - University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Grace Tierney - University of Alabama
Max Eriksrud - University of North Dakota
Maddy Siekmann – South Dakota School of Mines
Lauren Oster - Johns Hopkins University