Fran Heitzman, Founder - Bridging, Inc.

Fran Heitzman founded Bridging, Inc., twenty years ago, at the age of 63.  Thanks to his vision, leadership and salesmanship, it has become a huge operation - Minnesota's best known source of furnishings and household goods for families in need.  To provide a sense of the size of this non-profit, last year:

- 5,000 families received a houseful of furniture and household goods.
- 200 agencies referred families to Bridging; Families come just once.
- 92,000 hours of unpaid volunteer time meant families paid nothing.

The catalyst for this phenomenal growth story has been Fran Heitzman.  His energy and zeal for life are amazing and quite contagious to others.  He ensures every volunteer, every day, feels welcomed and appreciated.  Fran's passion is to always be doing something that makes a difference.

President Lucy Mattson presided over Friday’s meeting, which began with the singing of “America the Beautiful” led by Craig Waller and accompanied by Paul Kenworthy on the piano. Chris Mayr introduced New Member Bill Pomerenke of Bjorkland Realty. Following Bill’s introduction, Tom Burton and George Koblas pitched the spring fund drive for Rotary International and shared the tremendous strides Club 9 has made in Ecuador. Next up, Susanne Rosen Bonfe reminded members, prospective members and friends to mark their calendars for the Rotary Golf & Dinner Event on May 29. Rick Lundin delivered the Secretary’s Report.

Bob Zagaros stepped in as substitute day chair. After putting on display his finely crafted Bergstrom Jewelers wedding band, Minneapolis Mayor and Honorary Club 9 Member R.T. Rybak took center stage. Mayor Rybak has served Minneapolis in his present capacity since 2001, during which time he boasts eight balanced budgets, 100 new police officers, and a city that will be fully wi-fi connected well before 2008 draws to a close.

Mayor Rybak provided an outlook on the city’s economy, touting the importance of a strong infrastructure especially in terms of improved transportation and cutting-edge technology. Despite the national economic pinch, Rybak delivered an upbeat and proactive message, stating that “we shouldn’t say ‘we are victims of the economy.’” Instead, he says the city is investing in employment training to make sure that every capable person is working. Rybak said this begins with the area’s youth and their education. “We need to have a good farm team,” Rybak said, in order to feed our industry and economy. Among the programs included in this plan, Rybak believes that Rotarians can make the greatest and most immediate contribution to the “Step Up” program, in which high school students intern at local businesses during the summer months. Rybak cited the continuing importance of the healthcare industry to Minneapolis’ economy. Additionally, through education and strategic urban planning, the city plans to invest in making the life sciences industry a key player in the future. He closed his speech with a reminder that no single act can improve an economy, but that it takes a strategically diversified focus to make a solid impact.

April 23, 2008
By Mike Weber

Tom Burton, supported by Bruce Hedblom, George Koblas, and Joyce James, led the meeting presenting Minneapolis Rotary Club 9's contributions to development in Ecuador.  The story of our involvement from 2001 to 2008 was told in photos and financial contributions.

In a 2005 trip, our colleagues visited the schools we support in Quito.  The photos showed lots of smiling, attentive faces of students committed to gaining an education. The visiting Rotarians noticed a tangible difference between students in the Rotary supported schools and area public schools—an increased healthy affect, more alert.  This is attributed, at least partially, to the fact that our Rotary supported schools offer each student a hot meal.  Club 9's contributions enabled each school to acquire computers.

The group also visited a Quito Community Center, for which our club provided materials for construction and medical equipment.  In a nearby village, our club helped support the drilling of a well to provide clean water.  Minneapolis Rotary also supports an orphanage dating from the 1800’s, which houses 45 young women. Our club's support has provided them a computer, a 10 burner stove to replace the four burner household stove which had been used to prepare 100 meals three times a day, and a commercial clothes washing machine to replace the hand washing method that had been the way to launder all the residents’ clothes and linens.

During the 2007 trip, the visiting Rotarians and some spouses were able to visit the same sites, seeing the now-finished Quito Community Center.  They visited the Working Boys School in Cuenca, for which Club 9 has provided baking equipment to both feed the residents and give them occupational training.  The school seeks to admit boys living on the street, but has significant requirements to assure success, from daily showers, to school attendance, and the engagement of every member of the family in education and job preparation.

Bruce Hedblom summarized the return on our club’s financial investment.  Each dollar we contribute from the fall fund drive is matched one-to-one by District 5950, and those two dollars are matched one-to-one by the Rotary International foundation.  Our club’s contributions of $130,370 between 2001 and 2008 have brought a total of $547,575 for the Ecuador projects.

George Koblas described the purchasing philosophy of such Rotary projects.  All funds are delivered to local Rotary clubs, enabling the funds to foster the local economy and improve local living conditions.  The local Rotarians are the business owners, professionals, and governmental officials whose support is necessary for the projects.  In addition, with equipment being purchased locally, ongoing maintenance capacity is assured.  This leads to the non-political atmosphere of our visits, which finds the local citizens appreciative and welcoming.  The funds are deposited in a project account in a local bank, and, at the close of the project, the local Rotary club submits receipts and documentation for the use of the funds.

Members from Minneapolis Rotary will visit Ecuador again in October, 2008, to attend a project fair at which requests for support will be presented to visiting Rotarians from around the world.

This spring, 23 Rotarians served on the Local Community Service Committee and reviewed 59 grant applictions totaling $187,611 in requested financial support.  After the review process, the committee was able to fund 30 non-profit agencies.  The total amount awarded was $51,000 with an average grant award of $1,700.  These grant dollars were raised by Minneapolis Rotary members during the fall fund drive for the Minneapolis Rotary Foundation.  For a job well done, congratulations to Local Community Service Committee Members Kevin Argall, Sharon Bloodworth, Skip Bohn, Michelle Drake, Roger Frommelt, John Fox, John Goodwyne, Bill Gullickson, Mark Hegman, Joyce James, Rick Lundin, Bob Laskey, Peter Marston, John Mauriel, Don Meisel, Rich Miller, Pat Moore, Stuart Noun, Doug Petersen, Amy Rolando, Lloyd Stern and Tom Woehlke.  A special thanks to Tim Buggy who not only reviewed several grant applications, but also stepped in mid-stream as committee chair. We also thank John Swon for his leadership, as we continue to monitor his improving health.

“Through this project, we feel we are helping provide dignity and hope for those ravaged by polio and other debilitating diseases. For many, having a tricycle will mean first time mobility, independence and self-sufficiency. Rotary has already accomplished much in eliminating the threat of polio in the world, and now it is time to help those who still suffer grave disabilities,” said Tammy Laurent, District Governor of Minnesota’s Rotary District 5950.

In conjunction with 22 additional clubs from Minnesota, this project provides more than 476 of these tricycles to those most in need.