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Mike Oakley Sonja Ketchum
 
February 12, 2025
 
Breakfast meetings are on Wednesday mornings at 7:30-8:30 at Shortstop Bar & Grill, 1298 E Moore Lake Dr, Fridley. Drop in! Guests Welcome!
 
Find us online at:https://www.fridleychrotary.org/ and connect with us at fridleychrotary@gmail.com or on Facebook at Fricley-CH Rotary.
 
Joining the FCH Rotary breakfast meetings on Zoom (request by the previous Monday at skeeler@isd14.org):  open the link below, click on Open Zoom Meetings, and follow the prompts.
 
 
 
PROGRAM
 
13 members, prospective member Anna Bottila, and guests Jim Cummings, Fridley High School STRIVE program coordinator, Fridley STRIVE students Daniel Salazar, Ashley Analco, Gisela Ortega, and Alexandin Quito, Fridley High School Kiwanis Key Club representative CeCe Fellner and parent Melissa Fellner heard new member Sonja Ketchum of Fridley deliver her classification talk, which emphasized the self-actualization through service that she has sought from her life to date through service as a volunteer, in early childhood education, and her current employment with the nonprofit Second Harvest Heartland.
 
UPCOMING PROGRAMS Feb. 19- Adam Betker of the Project 6:8 nonprofit describes its program. Feb. 26- Rick Heidick of Stillwater Sunrise Rotary provides an update of District 5960’s LIFT program. Mar. 5- First meeting at Central Mix, 4030 Central Avenue, Columbia Heights; Ron Steiner leads a presentation of Magnifi Credit Union’s “3 Essentials”.
 
ANNOUNCEMENTS
 
President Mike Oakley announced that Central Mix Coffee Shop and community space will be tried first as our new meeting site, beginning Wednesday March 5. For a minimum guarantee of $100 per meeting, Central Mix will provide the meeting space, basic coffee service, a pastry tray, and will accept individual food and beverage orders. See it's website, https://thecentralmix.com/
 
Bob Tholkes announced for Paul Nealy that next week’s program by nonprofit Project 6:8 will include the opportunity to bring donation need items for the homeless men that the project serves.
 
Steve Klaers described the STRIVE program’s visit last week to RAO Mfg. and Minneapolis College, and announced that the next program visit will take place on Thursday, March 20, to Hennepin Tech and the adjacent law enforcement academy.
 
REMINDERS
 
The due date for your current Rotary account invoice was Friday, January 31. Pay by check at a meeting, mail a check to FCH Rotary at 3966 Reservoir Blvd., Columbia Heights 55421, or use the club’s VENMO account. To use it for payments to the club, download the VENMO ap and type in Fridley-Columbia HeightsRotaryClub.
 
The next Operation Pollination virtual meeting is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 4. Use Zoom reference https://colheights-k12-mn-us.zoom.us/j/89549675071.
The club board meets next on Wednesday, April 2 at 9 a.m.
 
The Rotary District ‘Make Peace Visible’ Annual Conference is scheduled for Thursday-Saturday May 1-3 at Mystic Lake Event Center, 2400 Mystic Lake Blvd, Prior Lake. Register at https://makepeacevisible.org/.
 
The 2025 Golf Classic fundraiser is scheduled for Monday, July 28, at The Refuge Golf Course in Columbus Township.
 
The Columbia Heights Mayor’s Monarch Festival is scheduled for Thursday, August 14. The club usually has an informational table.
 
 
Rotary International announced that the May 27-28, 2028 (changed from 2029) RI convention will be held in Minneapolis. It will be organized cooperatively by Districts 5580, 5950, 5960, and 6250.
 
Additional mentors for Fridley STRIVE students are sought. Contact Steve Klaers at 612-599-8103.