NO MEETING SEPTEMBER 5, 2017
BRIAN HERSTIG: "TWIN CITIES RISE"
The impact of the job-training and job-filling nonprofit called Twin Cities RISE was explained Aug. 29 by its vice president, Brian Herstig.Started almost 25 years ago, RISE provides skills training and coaching to move unemployed persons – many of them minorities and people with criminal records – into industries badly in need of quality employees. It’s a transformative process, and RISE has demonstrated impressive results. About 81 percent of participants graduate from the program, which is about twice the national average for skills-training programs.
One of its success stories is a partnership with Metro Transit to train new diesel-bus mechanics. About 80 percent of Metro Transit’s workforce is approaching retirement, and finding skilled bus mechanics is difficult. Working with RISE, the agency has 18 new schooled and trained mechanics near to coming on board. It solves a major labor problem and gives each of 18 formerly unemployed individuals a union job paying $50,000.
One of the keys to the program is coaching. “Personal empowerment makes us different from any other job skills training program,” said Brian, pointing out that participants come to have greater self-knowledge, self-confidence, and problem-solving skills.
Now, RISE is undertaking a $10 million campaign so it can scale up and increase the number of graduates it produces per year, currently at about 125. You can learn more about the organization at www.twincitiesrise.org.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
We‘re into the Vino Classico ticket-selling stage, but don’t forget that silent-auction items and donated bottles of wine are also needed. Prairie Brewfest is a good warm-up to Vino; the craft-beer sampling event of the Eden Prairie Community Foundation will be held Sept. 9. Haiti outreach efforts will benefit from the Ride for Water bike ride that’s being held Sept. 17 at Boom Island Park in Minneapolis. Please sign up with Kevin Kraemer or Beth Kreusch to take exchange student Trini on an outing.
SPOTLIGHT ON DAN O'BRIEN
Dan O’Brien is celebrating his 35 th anniversary with Rotary, and his vocational spotlighted many decades of building a legacy rather than building a resume. He was born in Kankakee, IL and attended the University of Illinois but landed a Minnesota job immediately upon graduation. Six years later, he and several partners started an architectural firm that would design about 1,300 projects over 30 years – including the Hopkins Center for the Arts and the remodel for what is now the Eden Prairie City Center. He and Mary have four children and six grandchildren, and one of Dan’s avocations is a grandpa day-care. He’s also enjoyed being a wedding officiant, giving back through Rotary, and “breaking bread” with all of us on Tuesday mornings.HAPPY FINES
We call them “Happy Fives” – occasions and life events that are worth a $5 contribution to The Rotary Foundation. Jon Melander was happy about another college year getting underway, including for a son at the University of St. Thomas and a daughter at St. Cloud State. Roger Jorgensen was happy to be sporting new eyeglasses, thanks to help from Pei Ling Jamison. Bill Gaddis was happy about landing a new job with Hilton Garden Inn in Minneapolis. Jay Simpson was happy to have his working son moving back to the Twin Cities. Dan O’Brien was happy to reach the 35-year mark in Rotary.VISITORS
Student Interns - Alexa Oldenkamp