Events

Amanda works for Rotary International and is one of our club members!

Jenifer Loon, Executive Director for PROP, will update us on the organization's status and how we can volunteer or help out. More than 50 years ago, People Reaching Out to People was founded on the principle of helping neighbors by donating time, food, and money to those in need. More recently, PROP has expanded its services to not only meet the basic needs of the 1,200 families it serves but also provide support as clients build a more secure future.

1. Women's Deodorant
2. Crackers (Ritz, Club. etc.)
3. Baby Food/Formula
4. 6-12 count snacks (granola bars, pretzels, etc.)
5. Soups (Beef, Pork, Seafood)

Kevin Manbeck of Eden Prairie is part of a team that received an Engineering, Science & Technology Emmy on Oct. 23 from the Television Academy. Manbeck, chief technology officer of MTI FILM, and others were honored for the development of the DRS Nova film and video restoration software.

One of our newest members, Stephen Martin, will take the stage to introduce himself and share his journey to joining our Eden Prairie Noon Rotary.  It’s a wonderful opportunity to get to know Steve and learn from his experiences.

Dr. Josh Swanson began his duties as superintendent of Eden Prairie Schools on August 21, 2017.

Dr. Swanson has been an instrumental part of district leadership since joining the district in October of 2012. As executive director of technology, his expertise and leadership was instrumental in the development and rollout of the district’s i-Learn initiative. As assistant superintendent, he assumed the role of key academic advisor to the superintendent. Over the past three years he has worked with site leadership and staff to implement the district’s strategic plan, update and align curriculum, initiate personalized learning, and provide leadership support to the sites.

Lou Raguse is an experienced, award-winning reporter for KARE 11 News in Minneapolis. Lou joined KARE 11 as a reporter in April 2015. It is a return home after 10 years reporting and anchoring for KELO in Sioux Falls, KMSB in Tucson, and WIVB in Buffalo. At those stations, Lou won dozens of honors including an Emmy, Associated Press and NY State Broadcaster Awards.

In Feb. 2023, Lou's first true crime book was published by Post Hill Press. "Vanished in Vermillion" flips the script on the genre and reveals all the ways the 40-year search for two missing teenage girls went horribly wrong.

Mike is an Assistant Professor of Software Engineering and Data Science at St. Thomas University.  He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin and has a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Wurzburg.  Mike has nearly 30 years of software development experience.  His background includes engineering work in medical devices (pacemakers), telephony, and aircraft navigation. Michael also participated in initial rollouts of world wide email and document exchange systems while at IBM.

More importantly Mike is married to Judy Dorin who was born and raised in Pueblo Libre, Peru.  Mike will tell us about the community of Pueblo Libre, the greater Lima Peru metropolis and his experiences in Peru.

Carrie Miller, Executive Director

March 20

Ed is a long time Rotarian and currently a member of the Waconia Rotary Club.  He has a B.A. from the U of M, a Masters from the University of Chicago in Geophysical Science and a PhD from the U of M in Geophysical Engineering.  Ed worked for over 39 years at Los Alamos.

Board Chair, Founder and Executive Director. Greg is the Founder and Executive Director of The Humanity Alliance. A 501 (c)(3) based in Victoria, Minnesota. The mission of The Humanity Alliance is to restore love and dignity as we serve our most vulnerable populations.  Their initial focus is providing improved access to nutrition to people who are food insecure and was inspired by a group of Minneapolis high school students.

Greg is committed to launching and scaling disruptive innovations that address unmet needs in our community. Greg has spent over 18 years launching and scaling new innovations in the for-profit arena.

Since 2018, Greg has applied his expertise to the non-profit space, moving at a pace commensurate with the need, and focused on unraveling the inequities that keep our communities from thriving. Greg holds a BS in Communications from Bradley University. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Carpooling to the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's office is strongly suggested as parking is limited.

3:10pm - Meet in the Immanuel Lutheran Church parking lot to carpool to:  14250 County Road 62, Minnetonka, MN 55345.

3:30pm - Welcome and overview from Dr. Andrew Baker

3:50pm - Tour of the facility (45-60 minutes)

Optional gathering at Boom Island Brewery to follow.

Dr. Andrew Baker is a graduate of the University of Iowa College of Medicine. He completed his residency in pathology at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and completed a year of specialized training in forensic pathology in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is board-certified in anatomic and clinical pathology, with subspecialty certification in forensic pathology. He is a fellow of the College of American Pathologists (CAP), and serves on the CAP Forensic Pathology Committee. He is a fellow of the National Association of Medical Examiners and the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, having served as the Chair of the Academy’s Pathology/Biology section and currently serving on the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee.

Dr. Baker began practicing as a full-time forensic pathologist with the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 2002. He was appointed to the position of Chief Medical Examiner for Hennepin County in 2004, and was reappointed in 2008, 2012, and 2016. In 2013, Dr. Baker’s office expanded to provide all medical examiner services to Dakota and Scott Counties in the metropolitan Twin Cities area. Dr. Baker also holds appointments at the Hennepin County Medical Center and the University of Minnesota. He serves as the Treasurer for the Minnesota Coroners’ and Medical Examiners’ Association and has previously served on the Board of Directors of the Innocence Project of Minnesota. Dr. Baker’s forensic interests include management of mass fatalities, the investigation of fatal child abuse, and investigation of sudden deaths in children and young adults. 

One of our club members, Martin Rathjen, trekked the 80 mile round trip to Everest Base Camp at 17,600’ in the Himalayas of Nepal.  He’ll share trip stories including: the sound a glacier makes, helicopter flights due to inclement weather, pulmonary edema, Khumbu Cough, the Yak Super Highway, Lukla – the world’s most dangerous airport, and more.

Bravo Zulu House is the first all-Veteran sober living facility in the United States for vets suffering from PTSD and addiction.  The first house is being built in Winnebago, MN.  Our own Holly Callen is a Founding Board Member of Bravo Zulu and our club is the lead – along with 5 other clubs and District 5950 - on a $40,000 Rotary Grant to fund the purchase and installation of a Wheelchair Lift.  Holly will tell us all about Bravo Zulu and how we can participate in the Grand Opening Ceremonies on May 28th.