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The "Story of Old Glory"
 
Joining the FCH Rotary breakfast meetings on Zoom: open the link below and click on Open Zoom Meetings and follow the prompts.
 
 
                         
 
March 2, 2022
 
PROGRAM
 
18 members, including 5 on zoom, and prospective member Paul Nealy of Ridley, heard Mason and longtime Shriner Don Wurden offer, “The Story of Old Glory”, tracing the evolution of the national flag of the United States. Interspersed with its history were the circumstances of the adoption of the first flag in 1777, readings from the papers of founders George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, and Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. The inspirational essay “I Am Your Flag” concluded the presentation.
 
ANNOUNCEMENTS
 
With meteorological spring (March 1) Operation Pollination and related community events for 2022 are taking shape. At the group’s March 1 Zoom meeting, attended by coordinator Kristen Stuenkel, Bob Tholkes, Amada Simula, City of Columbia Heights Forester Liam Genter, and Columbia Heights High School “Blooming Heights” program coordinator Wes Nujteren, the possibility of an FCH Rotary information table at Columbia Heights community events this summer was raised, including at the Monarch Festival on Wednesday evening, August 17. Bob Olsen can hopefully again bring his monarchs!
 
Nujteren noted that the Blooming Heights program will again have a pollination focus amongn its activities. Genter is already scheduled to provide a talk on Urban Forestry, at the April 6 breakfast. Stuenkel will provide info to the club about the “No Mow May” program, which encourages homeowners to delay spring mowing to allow pollinators to thrive.
 
Per an email from City of Fridley Environmental Planner Rachel Workin, that city is working with its Recreation Department and Springbrook Nature Center to host an Environmental Fun Fair on May 7 from 10-1; has applied for a Lawns to Legumes grant for pollinator patches as well as a grant to do a pollinator patch in Commons Park; and will promote the Blue Thumb workshops on pollinator plantings/resilient yards with Rice Creek Watershed District: see http://bluethumb.org/events/.
 
Contact Stuenkel with any questions at stuenkek@colheights.k12.mn.us. The link to join the next Operation Pollination Zoom Meeting, Tuesday, April 5, at 7:30 am., is https://colheights-k12-mn-us.zoom.us/j/86961226644.
 
Mark Grotewold provided further details about the volunteer opportunity on March 25 at SACA’s Hops for Hunger fundraiser. Signup will continue through the month. Contact Mark at markandlizgrotewold@edinarealty.com to sign up.
 
Speaker on March 9: Samantha Markman, Anoka County Community Development Director, will provide an update.