We Meet at Noon on Thursday

April7, 2022

For Those Attending in Person

Plated Meal

(Zoom Meeting Opens at 11:45)

(Link Sent Thursday Morning)

At

 

  

Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and AmeriCorps grantee, engages hundreds of youth and young adults each year in programs and initiatives that improve access to outdoor recreation, restore natural habitat, protect waterways, and respond to community needs and natural disasters.

 

By Patra Sevastiades

 

President Chana Stocke brought the meeting to order. All sang “The Star Spangled Banner” with Past President John Baumgarten at the piano and affirmed the 4-Way Test.

 

Sheryl Homan offered a Reflection about Shekhar Mehta, Rotary International president, from East Bengal, India, who believes that caring for others improves one’s life. Sheryl Homan said, “Look in the mirror daily and ask, ‘What can I do for someone else today?’”

 

 

Skeeter Moore introduced guest Joe Haggenmiller, new Race Director of the NorthShore Inline Marathon. Chana Stocke welcomed guests Jakub Tolar, MD, Peter M. Nalin, MD, Jean F. Regal, MD, and Christine Kiel, all of the University of Minnesota Medical School.

 

Joe Haggenmiller, guest of Skeeter Moore

 

Jerry Pelofske self-reported that his daughter, who once said she would never have children because they were too smelly, just gave birth to Jerry’s seventh grandchild. Skeeter Moore honored Tricia Bunten, featured recently on a television program. Patra Sevastiades reported that her daughter has just been accepted into a competitive nursing program.

 

President Chana Stocke with Gimlet reporter Patra Sevastiades

 

President-elect Barb Perrella invited all to the upcoming “Rotary Fireside Chat,” an annual event held at the Kitchi Gammi Club, on April 14, from 5-7pm. New members (from 2020, 2021, and 2022) and a guest can attend for free; longer-term members will pay the same fee as lunch.

 

Past Assistant Governor Al Makynen reminded all that Thursday, May 5, will be the Cinco de Mayo fundraising dinner.

 

Past Assistant Governor Phil Strom invited Jon Ohman to the podium to receive a ruby-studded pin recognizing his consistent support of the Rotary Foundation, totaling $6,000. Jon Ohman encouraged all to do the same, saying, “Bill pay recurring”—donate monthly, make a difference.

 

Jon Ohman accepts his ruby-studded pin from Past Assistant Governor Phil Strom

 

 

[L to R] Peter M. Nalin, MD; Jean F. Regal, MD; Elizabeth Simonson; Chana Stocke; and Jakub Tolar, MD, PhD.

 

Elizabeth Simonson introduced today’s speaker, Jakub Tolar, MD, PhD, Dean, Medical School/Vice President for Clinical Affairs, University of Minnesota. Dr. Tolar’s impressive resume runs from research on rare diseases to leaving his native Czech Republic to plant his professional feet firmly in Minnesota for 30 years.

 

Dr. Tolar said the University of Minnesota Medical School was founded in 1888, and it had women medical students. The tradition of diversity continued, as did service to local communities. About 70% of all physicians in Minnesota have come through the U of M Medical School; 62% of them serve communities with populations of 100,000 or less; 53% of them work in communities with populations of 50,000 or fewer.

 

Of the students: 46% are from Minnesota; 51% are women, 49% are men; 39% are from cities with populations of less than 200,000; 12% are Native American or Alaskan Native.

 

Jakub Tolar, MD, PhD, Dean, Medical School/Vice President for Clinical Affairs, University of Minnesota

 

Dr. Tolar is immensely proud of the Duluth campus of the U of M Medical School. Here, the two-year training focuses on basics and family medicine. A future element of the Duluth campus is the Duluth Academic Health

Center, to be built downtown between Essentia Health and St. Luke’s. The university is seeking legislative funding.

 

Dr. Tolar witnessed Covid’s devastation. He also observed that some people at the U of M Medical School were unexpectedly shaped by adversity to become leaders: scientists, physicians, and medical students came up with ingenious ideas. Some of these were adopted broadly: autonomous testing; creating a pattern for hand-building ventilators from bits and pieces of available materials, allowing physicians worldwide to save lives; identifying how the virus attaches itself to the cell; and more. Dr. Tolar also witnessed patients, especially mothers, asserting greater agency in making health choices for their families.

 

Finally, Dr. Tolar suggested that our nation would benefit by moving from a system of “sick care” to “health care”:  promoting preventative care and reducing the number of medical emergencies.

 

(L to R) Jay Ott, Tom Young, Jena Evans and our Junior Rotarian

 

(L to R) Elizabeth Simonson, Peter M. Nalin, MD, Jean F. Regal, MD President Chana Stocke and President Elect Barb Perrella