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Minnesota State Senator Mary Kunesh
 
 
Joining the FCH Rotary breakfast meetings on Zoom: open the link below and click on Open Zoom Meetings and follow the prompts.
 
 
With masks mandated for our in-person breakfast (when not eating or speaking to the group), a supply is available at the meeting, free to attendees.
May 5, 2021
 
PROGRAM
17 members, including 7 on Zoom, heard DFL State Senator Mary Kunesh, whose district includes Columbia Heights, describe her initiative on the problem in Minnesota of murdered and missing indigenous women. Her legislation on the subject, prepared by a task force including indigenous residents and which has passed the state House of Representatives but faces opposition in the Republican-led state Senate, seeks to establish an office in the state government to focus on the issue. Indigenous women are disproportionately represented among Minnesota murder victims. A recent discussion of the task force’s findings can be accessed at https://yourcallmn.org/. The task force’s report can be inspected at: https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/ojp/Documents/missing-murdered-indigenous-women-task-force-report.pdf
 
 ANNOUNCEMENTS
 
Bob Tholkes announced that the prospective Global Grant project with Club Rotario Ensenada Calafia in Ensenada, Mexico, has been shelved, as the prospective host club felt it could not familiarize itself with the project proposed by Homes of Hope Mexico in time for May 21 proposal deadline. The project would concern supplementary educational and vocational training for youth in a disadvantaged section of that city. Homes of Hope is reviewing the possibility of completing the proposal for submission as a district grant project, which does not require a host club.
 
President Kelli Bourgeois announced that the June 5 SACA golf fundraiser is sold out. The funds donated for purchase of a foursome will be retained by SACA for its general fund.
 
Installation of 2021-22 District Governor Kenny Klooster of Mankato is scheduled for Friday, June 25, at The Blue Boat in downtown Mankato from 6 to 9 p.m. Appetizers and live music provided.
 
Golf Classic coordinator Greg Schraufnagel announced that foursomes and sponsors are coming in at a rate similar to 2020. The Refuge golf course has been reserved for July 19. The event’s site is at Event home page - 2021 Fridley/Columbia Heights Rotary Golf Classic (fchgolfclassic.com)
 
REMINDERS
 
The next meeting in regards to collaboration with Operation Pollination will be held via Zoom at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 11. Join the Zoom meeting at
https://colheights-k12-mn-us.zoom.us/j/84336877353. An updated presentation to the club on progress is scheduled for August.
 
Members may sign up to deliver groceries for SACA on any Saturday in May at https://sacafoodshelf.org/volunteer. If you will be driving, provide your insurance card and driver’s license for SACA to copy for its records.
 
Service project coordinator Mark Grotewold reminded that with the loosening of COVID restrictions other service projects can be planned. Please contact him with your ideas.
 
As more Minnesotans are vaccinated yet practice pandemic safety, District 5960 is planning an OUTDOOR, FAMILY-FRIENDLY Conference of Clubs on Saturday, June 5th, 10am - 2pm at the Rotary Pavilion in Levee Park in Hastings. Register at:  https://rotary5960.org/event/2021-conference-of-clubs/. President-Elect Don Archibeque has been invited to collaborate on an environment-themed event for the conference with the neighboring Blaine-Ham Lake and Arden Hills-Shoreview Rotary clubs.
 
Speaker on May 12: NFL official Jeff Seeman of Fridley will speak via Zoom about his experiences as a zebra.