Rotary historians have written that the 3rd Rotary Club was the Oakland Club, which started in 1909. Their sixth President, V. O. Lawrence was the first Rotarian in history to inaugurate a system of fines on latecomers at the weekly luncheons, enriching the club’s charity funds. From this practice evolved the birthday fine and bell ringer.
In 1922, U.S. Rotarians organized an attendance contest; the challenge was that the losing clubs would join in giving the winning club a prize. The Rotary Club of New York City was declared the winner and to them was awarded as a prize a bell from a popular patrol boat, which was placed on wood that came from HMS “Victory”, Admiral Nelson’s vessel at the battle of Trafalgar. Since then, the bell used in Rotary meetings started to represent, as on the ships, order, discipline and the time to guide us through the weekly hour and a half meetings.
Rotary historians have written that the 3rd Rotary Club was the Oakland Club, which started in 1909. Their sixth President, V. O. Lawrence was the first Rotarian in history to inaugurate a system of fines on latecomers at the weekly luncheons, enriching the club’s charity funds. From this practice evolved the birthday fine and bell ringer. In 1922, U.S. Rotarians organized an attendance contest; the challenge was that the losing clubs would join in giving the winning club a prize. The Rotary Club of New York City was declared the winner and to them was awarded as a prize a bell from a popular patrol boat, which was placed on wood that came from HMS “Victory”, Admiral Nelson’s vessel at the battle of Trafalgar. Since then, the bell used in Rotary meetings started to represent, as on the ships, order, discipline and the time to guide us through the weekly hour and a half meetings.
• The bell informs us with its sound the beginning of the Rotary meeting, at which time people present should stand, same as at the end, in order to salute the national and Rotary flags.
• The gavel symbolizes the authority invested in the Rotarian elected to the highest position in Rotary, and through him or her, reminds those present of his or her authority.
• When presidents transmit their positions to their successors at the end of their mandate, they give the bell their last hit turning the gavel over to their successor, symbolizing the transfer of authority.
The Lakeville Rotary Club and the Lakeville Fire Department are sponsoring a joint blood drive on Thursday, April 4th, from 1:00 pm until 7:00 pm, at Fire Station #4 located at 9465 185th Street West here in Lakeville (Behind Lifetime and across the street from Century Middle School).
You are invited to help with this important project by scheduling your donation directly at the drive's web site. Just double click on the following link:
If you are unable to donate there are other ways you can help. We need volunteers at the refreshment table and we especially need help promoting the blood drive. Please take flyers / posters and ask friends and relatives to participate.
Jay Young, Lakeville Community Foundation Team Lead, presented Karen Peterson with a $2000 grant check for Hope for Tomorrow's Lakeville mentorship program.
Lakeville Police Chief Jeff Long introduce our speaker Deputy Police Chief John Kornmann.
Kronmann was instrumental in obtaining an $106,000 federal grant for the City of Lakeville’s body-worn camera program. In the coming months all Lakeville Police Officers will wear the cameras in an effort to improve accountability and transparency between the police and the community.
Kronmann mentioned that Burnsville police became the first in Minnesota to use body-worn cameras in 2010, about the time that many departments around the country began adopting the cameras partly as a response to public outrage over excessive use of force by officers.
The Lakeville Police Department officials are in the process of holding individual community conversations with small groups through the community churches, chamber, local organizations to share and gain input for the creation of a Lakeville Police Department policy for body-worn cameras.
LPD is anticipating authorizing the purchase of cameras in June and begin using them by early fall.
Kronmann mentioned that the use of body-worn cameras and their data are regulated by state law. the link is available on the city's implementation page if you are interested in reading the details. (Link to LPD Implementation Page.)
Kronmann mentioned that officers will be required to use the cameras on all calls, whether arrests, interrogations or any interaction “that becomes or is anticipated to be adversarial.” The Canine will not be using the cameras, but the K-9 officer will.
