Rotary Club of Saint Paul
May 2, 2023
President Dave Dominick called the hybrid meeting to order at 5:20 pm. Lynne Beck was scribe. The greeter was Bill Collins. The A/V Teach Team was David Wolfgram, Ken Crabb and Matt Magers.
Dave Dominick led everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance and Lynne Beck led the club in the 4-Way Test.
Bill Collins introduced guests, including Jack Gibbons, a member of the Stillwater Sunrise Club who has visited 60 clubs this year; Khadiya, a teacher at Central H.S.; and Margarita Jules with the Small Business Administration. Dominick read the names of members with birthdays and Rotary anniversaries in May.
Dave Dominick introduced the speaker, Al Zdrazil, past president of the Rotary Club of Saint Paul who talked about the upcoming trip to St. Paul’s Sister City Nagasaki Japan in October 2023. He begun by presenting information about the city. Nagasaki, located in the south of Japan, has a tropical, volcanic climate. Portuguese traders and later the Dutch colonized areas of the county, including Nagasaki. In the late 1800’s, it was a special city since it was the only harbor open to foreign trade when Japan’s borders were closed. On August 9, 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the city to end the war in the Pacific. Even today, people suffer the effects of the bomb.
Nagasaki is a modern port city that was rebuilt after WWII. Since 1955, St. Paul and Nagasaki have been sister cities. It was the first sister city in Asia. The Rotary Club of Saint Paul has a long history of youth exchanges with the city. There is even a Saint Paul Street in Nagasaki and a Nagasaki Road in Saint Paul on the south side of Como Park. Over the years the Rotary Club of Saint Paul has donated totem poles to place in Nagasaki’s Peace Park where the bomb exploded, but they have not lasted. Recently, the club replaced the totem pole with an 8’ bronze replica of the Vision of Peace statue that resides in the Ramsey County Court House in St. Paul.
Al outlined the details about the trip to Nagasaki from Oct. 5-9, 2023: events planned, lodging, flights, overall daily costs, etc. Interested Rotarians should contact Al at 651-675-9838 or Zdra0004@umn.edu. Al finished by answering questions about Nagasaki and the upcoming trip.
Bill Collins asked for Happy Dollars. They included Happy Dollars for the great RYLA weekend, Bill Collin’s hiking trip in Italy, Lynne Beck’s journey in Egypt and Jordan, the incredible volunteer experience at the Science Museum of Minnesota, and the Rotary Community Forum.
David Dominick made the following club announcements:
- Last Call – History Theatre – May 4, 2023
Camp Bar: 5:30 PM Social/7:30 History Theatre Performance
- Signature Luncheon – May 9, 2023
Rotation Day – TPT PBS – Reservations Required
- 501: May 16, 2023
- Signature Luncheon: May 23, 2023
Education Day
Dave Dominick gave St. Paul Rotary Foundation Updates
- Centennial Scholarship Application Period is Open (Linda Mulhern)
- Coffee Fundraiser Continues (Dion Powers)
- New: 2024 St. Paul Rotary Foundation Polar Bear Plunge (John Chandler)
- Donor Appreciation Event: June 6, 2023
Camp Bar: 5:00 PM
Ken Crabb encouraged people to recruit new members and nominate someone for the Spirit of Rotary Award. Forms for both were distributed on the tables. There are volunteer opportunities on June 4 at Grand Old Days and with the Wall That Heals for the Vietnam Memorial Fund, May 26-29.
The meeting closed at 6:12 pm.
Lynne Beck
Scribe