Invocation: David Schultz
There will be no meeting next week – Thanksgiving, Nov. 24.
Bob Chinnock will be leading our STRIVE students to Normandale on Dec. 1 after our Rotary meeting.
Sheryl Hough noted that December 15 is approaching fast, and we are reminded to bring in an auction gift with appropriate wrapping and enigmatic clues as to its worthiness for generously high bidding. A twenty-dollar donation will reserve a magic number on the Raffle Board. Reserve your favorite numeral (or two, or three!) via email to her, or sign up at our next meeting.
Denny Loving was happy to announce the construction of “boards” to enclose the two Pond Hockey rinks that will grace the ice of Firemen's Clayhole next winter.
Ken Hiller called attention to an effort to support Ukrainian refugees:
"Uniting for Ukraine" is a program sanctioned by the US government to bring 125,000 Ukrainians to the US. Over 60,000 have already been placed, with 60,000 more waiting to come to the US. All of them (women, children and elderly) have been cleared to come on a two-year visa - but each family unit must have a "private sponsor" in the US who will help them get settled - housing, schools, jobs, relief benefits, etc.
The "private sponsor" can be an individual or a sponsor group of 4-6 people or families (much like what Rotary does for its Student Exchange Program). You can start a sponsor group or join an existing one looking for more people to help. ALight is the non-profit program manager.
If you are interested in helping in this relief effort, please contact Ken Hiller (952-239-0222; hillbent@comcast.net) for more information or directly email steph@WeAreAlight.org to learn about the next steps.
FINEMASTER + HAPPY DOLLARS
Andy Haugen again took the Finemaster stage to ask informative questions of Rotarians who were then authorized to ask one of their friends to pay the fine for them. These included Dan Keyport/Ken Hiller, Neil Wingert/Vic Benetti, Erin Kerber/Dave Pokorney, and Peter Ivy/Wayne Ward. Happy Dollars were donated by Celi Haga, Dan Keyport and Matt Podhradsky.
ROTARY EXCHANGE STUDENT: Natasha Palmelund
Natasha practiced with the school’s Ski Team, spent time babysitting with the required evening of watching movies and getting less than adequate sleep!
She also enjoyed another church experience that differed from the more structured services that are conducted in Denmark. Natasha is looking forward to her upcoming birthday and the potential for consuming a Danish treat known as “Cake Man.”
In case you’ve wondered, Denmark does not have an equivalent holiday to our Thanksgiving. Alternately, their version of Halloween is called “Fastelavn.” It is associated with Lent, in February, and children dress in costumes, consume mass amounts of candy and beat sticks upon a hanging wooden basket (like a piñata) and in ancient times, it contained a cat that runs away once it is released from its gruesome captivity!
PRESENTATION:
Chaska’s Plan for Facility Renovations – Mayor Mark Windschitl
Introduced by City Manager Matt Podhradsky, the recently re-elected Mayor of Chaska, Mark Windschitl provided an enlightening vision of upgrades planned for the facilities housing our Police and Fire Departments, Municipal Services, and the City Hall and Library. Projected costs were shared (based on a no-growth population estimate) and potential architectural footprints gave us a good perspective of planned layouts.
For more information that includes a virtual tour of existing buildings and information on each site: www.chaskamn.gov/826
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