Rotary in Review
July 14, 2026
President Ken Schaefer opened the meeting in the InterContinental Hotel’s Great Ballroom on an extremely warm and sunny afternoon. He thanked the meeting volunteers and called upon Tricia Wiitanen to present an Inspirational Minute and the Four-Way Test. Tricia offered a poignant writing on mindset and led a recitation of the Four-Way Test.
President Ken called upon Jim Hart to introduce the day’s speaker, Dr. Thomas Kottke, describing him as a unique cardiologist and longtime friend. Dr. Kottke is a Senior Research Investigator, HealthPartners Institute and Professor of Medicine at the University of Minnesota. He focuses his research on learning how to improve health and well-being through community and clinical initiatives.
Dr. Kottke’s focus today was firearm injury prevention. He opened with reference to the Annunciation Catholic School shooting and to the account of ER physician Rachel Weisberg, framing his central argument in her words: our children do not need to live – and die – this way. The United States, he noted, is an outlier among peer nations on this measure.
Dr. Kottke then challenged a common assumption. Most people associate firearm deaths with mass shootings. In fact, he said, that most firearm deaths are suicides. After a short quiz on mass shootings, Dr. Kottke pointed out that roughly half of fatal shootings occur in the home, making the home the most dangerous location. He identified a single common denominator across these deaths: unsecured firearms. He also noted that suicide rates are lower in the metro area, where firearms are less prevalent than in outstate Minnesota.
Dr. Kottke’s prevention message was direct and practical. The most effective steps to properly secure firearms are:
1. Keep all firearms in a securely locked safe;
2. Always store unloaded; and
3. Keep ammunition stored separately.
Dr. Kottke further recommends off-site storage in households where mental illness is present.
Dr. Kottke does not blame firearms or firearms law. Instead, he focuses on what he and colleagues see daily in Emergency Rooms, and what he believes is the best way to reduce firearm deaths. Doctors and police cannot be the gatekeepers to solve the problem of unnecessary firearm deaths in this country.
Dr. Kottke closed with a call to action. Citizens need to step up and help. Ask friends and neighbors about safe firearm storage. Encourage others to follow the steps above. Let’s save our kids – together.
President Ken thanked Dr. Kottke and closed the meeting with a list of upcoming meetings and events.