No Meeting Tidings 2.0 - plus a correction and new stuff (Jul. 10, 2025)

This Week's Announcements

--Holiday Backpack Program Presentation: Scott Morrissette has been collecting our club members' contributions, and he will present them to Shelly Smith at this week's meeting. Please make sure you have yours to Scott in time.

-Sharing Families is Underway: Tony Pedriana has been coordinating the signup list for gifts and gift cards to families in need as identified by the Sharing Families group. He reports that the list is fully subscribed, including the grocery and gas cards. As a reminder, the deadline for gifts to Sharing Families is December 6. Click READ MORE for more details.

--Jim DiPeso is our latest Paul Harris Fellow and Randy Cudd reached the next level PHF!: George presented Jim with his PHF certificate and pin at the October 28th meeting, and on 11/11 Randy received his PHF+3. Congratulations and thanks, Jim and Randy!

--November Calendar: Click READ MORE to see the November calendar.

--Diaper Drive is Wrapping Up! It's all over except for some school collections and awards to competition winners.

Free Clinic Update - Samantha Bluhm

If you missed hearing Samantha Bluhm's excellent presentation last Tuesday about our local Free Clinic, here's your chance to at least see it. She shared her slides describing and summarizing both the need for the Free Clinic and the outstanding and inspiring response that our community provides and supports. Click on DOWNLOAD FILES line at the bottom to view a pdf of Samantha's slides. This time with slides available by clicking Download Files. Click Read More to read about Samantha.

Leadership Change

The June 17th meeting was Linda Yde's last weekly meeting as president; she is heading off to the Rotary International convention in Calgary Alberta, Canada. George Ball, the incoming president for 2025-26, presented Linda with a president's plaque in recognition of her very successful two-year term as President of River Falls Rotary.

Current State of Scouting in the Area

Greg Ball started his presentation by saying that, like most professional Scouters, he was an Eagle at 17. He said that he forgot about scouting for years, then heard about opportunities as a professional scout when the time was right. He began as a scout executive in Davenport IA in 2005. Was a scout exec there, moved back to MN after marrying a woman from the state. Has worked as field director, managing several districts in scouting’s middle management.

Civilian Physician Experience Joining the National Guard

Dr. Greg Miller joined the National Guard at 51, using an exception for physicians allowing them to join at ages beyond the standard maximum age of 34. Greg started with a direct commission course in April 2022. Changes in medicine and Greg’s career path allowed him the needed time flexibility. Greg noted that his dad was in the Army from 1970-72. Greg was sworn in during Covid over Zoom. Click READ MORE -- AND BE SURE TO READ TO THE END -- for more and to read about Greg Miller.