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Recap for Wednesday, March 6th
Wow!  With over 60% attendance at our meeting today,  we had a full house!
 
Here’s the highlights from today’s meeting:
 
Food Shelf this Friday: Alicia LeDoux and Kris Dirks.  Please sign up online.
 
Saturday, March 9:  Polar Plunge for Special Olympics.  Help sponsor our Rotary Team plungers!  https://reg.plungemn.org/team/buffalorotaryclub
 
Rita Varner Otness invited club members to sign up to take our in-bound exchange student, Rosita, to various events and activities around Minnesota before she leaves for home.  Rita also let us know that next year’s inbound student will be from Indonesia!
 
Bob Halagan returned from Guatemala.  He shared that our Rotary grant was life changing for the people, especially the women, of the Guatemalan villages that received sanitary water as part of the grant projects.  
 
A check for $1000 from Rotary was presented to Karla Heeter for Allina Health Foundation’s Healing Garden.
 
We welcomed two members today:  Stacy Kaluza, Care Outreach Manager at Lakeside Oasis joined as a new member.  Debbra Uecker joined Craig Boysen as a Corporate Member from Bankwest.
 
Our program today was the new sheriff, Sean Derringer.  Sheriff Derringer presented some facts about the Wright County Sheriff’s Department including:  it’s the 3rd largest Sheriff’s Department in Minnesota, it has over 250 employees, they contract with 13 of the 16 Wright County communities to provide services, and they have a $32 million budget.
 
The Sheriff stressed that it is critical to look forward not back when evaluating the Sheriff’s Department.  As he met with all 250 + of the employees in the department, he wanted them to realize that the fight is outside of the department walls -not inside.
 
The greatest concerns for the Wright County Sheriff’s Department are mental health, an incentive based wellness program, drug abuse (meth use) and technology.  
 
Biggest surprise in his first few months:  The social aspect of his job.
Biggest downer in the first few months:  The endless meeting.
 
Thank you Al Hoekstra for inviting Sheriff Derringer to speak to Rotary today.  
 
Have a great week and BE THE INSPIRATION!!  
See you next week at Rotary,
Kris Dirks
 
 
 
Club Member Volunteer Opportunities & Signup Lists
Outing Volunteer w/ Rosita Signup List
Youth Exchange Driver Signup
Foods Shelf Volunteer - March 29
Russell Hampton
National Awards Services Inc.
ClubRunner
Bulletin Editor
Jason Chalupnik