On Friday we presented $5,000 to Tim Larcey for Save A Warrior who spoke recently.  The club approved $1,000 and the foundation added $4,000 to bring the total up to $5,000 which is enough for one seat.

 

Any fishermen who want to support Save a Warrior and other veteran's charities can participate in Warriors Wangling Walleye fishing tournament on Friday April 26th.

George Tomko proposed a tour of Playhouse Square on May 11th late morning, followed by lunch at the Hofbräuhaus.  We would like to have at least 30 people sign up to confirm the tour, so please sign up at https://portal.clubrunner.ca/4880/event/playhouse-square-tour if you'd like to go.

Author and Rotarian Dan Jorgensen shared his story of growing up in South Dakota and becoming a writer.  Where he grew up were all one room schools, and he was the only student in his grade, and loved reading.

 

His uncle was a high school athlete, leading his small school to the state basketball championships, holding a national record in discus, and also running track, playing football and baseball.  His uncle was set to become the first person in the family to go to college with a full ride scholarship when he got polio the summer after he graduated high school.  All the scholarship opportunities disappeared except one, where the coach was a Rotarian and let his uncle come and be an assistant coach.  After he graduated college he coached for 35 years and taught for 45 years, serving as school superintendent for the last 10 years, touching the lives of thousands of students.

 

Dan was introduced to Rotary by someone how invited him to a meeting, which he went to recalling the good things his uncle had said.  That meeting happened to be the meeting where the president of the club was announcing the roll out of Polio Plus by Rotary International, so he joined the club, and pledges part of all his royalties to the Rotary Foundation and Polio Plus.

 

Dan started his writing career as a reporter, and after three years in the army took advantage of the GI bill to go back and study creative writing.  He now writes mystery thrillers.  His first book Killer Blizzard is not in its 14th printing.  His books are set in South Dakota, and bring a lot of the history and feel of the region to the page.