Michele McVenes is the Director of Sales and Marketing at Protocol 46. Her experience includes being a pilot at Delta Air Lines, a military Intelligence Officer at the 133rd Airlift Wing and work as a Network Administrator with the military. She is joined at Protocol 46 by a group of military professionals who seek to protect and defend our country in a new capacity. The team at Protocol 46 incorporates the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines with over 100 years of combined risk management and IT services experience.

Club 10 Business Report



President Carla Hauge brought the meeting to order at 12:14 p.m. on a cloudy, rainy late-winter day in downtown Saint Paul. David Laird led the assembled Rotarians in singing When Irish Eyes Are Smiling! accompanied by Doug Hartford on the piano to celebrate this week's observance of St. Patrick's Day. Matt Halley provided today's invocation. Michael-jon Pease facilitated the introduction of visiting Rotarians and guests. Today's Greeters were Brianna Vujovich and Rick Gobell.

President Carla asked Mindee Kastelic to come forward for a New Member introduction for Nancy Brady of Neighborhood House. Carley Stuber also came forward to introduce a second New Member Laura Nichols-Endres from the Children’s Museum. Matt Halley previewed the upcoming Rotation Day.

Michael-jon Pease collected Happy Dollars. Doug Bruce contributed and promoted the upcoming drive for Feed Our Starving Children with the pre-event set up at Summit Brewing on April 22nd followed by packing on April 23rd and 24th.

Past President and District Governor Joe Kovarik introduced today's speakers, Past President Al Zdrazil and Janice Barker, Assistant Ramsey County Attorney. The topic to be addressed: Domestic Violence in the Workplace. Past President Al displayed a short video that graphically represented an episode of domestic violence. After the viewing of the video, he then described the depth of the problem: domestic violence crosses every socio-economic status. Further, once domestic violence has taken root, seven interventions are required in order to force the abuser to leave the abusive relationship.

Cases of domestic violence follow a common pattern of escalating abuse: verbal abuse; emotional abuse; isolation; intimidation and threats; stalking and surveillance (control); sexual abuse; physical abuse; and, financial control. Economic abuse or financial control includes the abuser limiting the victim's access to joint bank accounts and even trying to control paychecks that may be surrendered to the abuser by the victim.

During an episode of domestic violence, the victimized employee generally wants to work; feels safer at work than at home; doesn't want to lose their job; doesn’t want others to think poorly of them; doesn’t want violence to impact their job; fears if co-workers try to help, the co-workers will only make matters worse.

Another video was shown featuring Ramsey County Commissioner Victoria Reinhardt, herself once a victim of domestic violence. Her first marriage lasted from 1972 until 1985 and was marred by domestic violence. After her first marriage ended, she completed her education and eventually became a member of the Ramsey County Board. She also has remarried. She is an advocate for victims of domestic violence and services the community provides as a response to the problem.

The presenters offered policy suggestions for employers to help combat the problem in the workplace. One suggestion is to allow time-off for victims above-and-beyond standard company guidelines especially for court appearances to seek protective orders or for divorce proceedings or other legal actions. In addition, employers can (1) create a safe work environment; (2) develop a safety plan for victims; (3) adopt the "Sample Company Policy" (Al provided copies after the meeting) and put the policy/plan into action; and, (4) have a company "Protection Policy" for court orders. For further information, Club 10 members are encouraged to contact the Minnesota Coalition for Battered Women.

President Carla thanked Past President Al and Ms. Barker for their presentation and noted that a donation would be made in their names to the Saint Paul Public Library's "Reading Together" program. She also presented them with Rotary Coins and then led those assembled in a recitation of the Four-Way Test inscribed on it ("Is it the Truth? Is it Fair to all concerned? Will it build Goodwill and Better Friendships? Will it be Beneficial to all concerned?"). President Carla then rang the bell to close the meeting at 1:12 p.m.

Chuck Standfuss, Scribe

Rotation Day is Tuesday, April 5.  We will not have a regular meeting on this day.  So please plan on joining fellow Rotations at an “off-site” location.

It’s important to register in advance as the host sites have limited capacity. To register, click on the link below for the location of your choice. This will take you directly to the registration for that particular site.

What is Rotation Day?

When Paul Harris founded Rotary in 1905, meetings were held at the members’ place of business – rotating from member  company to member company – hence the name “Rotary.”  For our club, Rotation Day is an event which brings us back to our “roots” and gives us the opportunity to gain new insights into the vocational challenges and business issues which are unique to our fellow Rotarians.

How would you like to play golf to end polio? Well, that would take a lot of golf! But you can do your part by signing up and playing in the Rotary 5950/5960 Joint District Conference Golf Tournament to End Polio!

This fun event will be held Thursday, May 12, 2016 at The Meadows Golf Course, at Mystic Lake (this is where the District Conference is being held). We have arranged for this shotgun event to start at 11:00 am. We will wrap up the awards and fellowship afterwards in time to join everyone at the District Conference Welcome Reception. Your golf registration fee includes a ticket to the Welcome Reception. (No, you don't get a discount or money back if you don't go to the Welcome Reception.) You may ask - do I need to be a good golfer to participate and still have fun? Good news: you do not have to be a great golfer! For the "Fun Golfer," you can compete in the Scramble Format - that means you take the best shot, and everyone picks up and shoots from there, this process is repeated after each shot.

The "Serious Golfer" may prefer to have the challenge of playing The Meadows with his/her own ball (Own Ball Format). Each foursome plays one or the other: Scramble Fun Golfer or Own Ball Serious Golfer. We will have awards for each category winner. Of course, the big winner is Polio Plus - proceeds from this tournament will go to Polio Plus! We need 100 golfers, the golf registration fee is $150. Do you have a business you would like to promote? Please sign up for one of the sponsorship packages and email me your company logo. We will promote your business on the website and inside the District Conference Program. Click the link below and sign up today! Thanks!

https://app.eventcaddy.com/events/rotary-districts-5950-5960-golf-tournament-for-polio-plus