PATRICIA FENRICK: MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT
“Home should be a place we feel safe,” remarked Patricia Fenrick. 72% of refugees are women and children. While all refugees are immigrants, not all immigrants are refugees. Refugees are forced to flee due to persecution or fear of persecution. Persecution can be based upon a variety of factors (race, religion, nationality and more).Some refugees can spend up to 10 years in refugee camps where they have little control over their lives. Currently 28 countries resettle refugees. In the U.S., refugee resettlement is run by the Department of State who set annual limits (federal fiscal year ending 9/30/YY) on the number of refugees which will be accepted. Last year 110,000 were resettled and the limit for the current year is 50,000 which is the lowest since the Refugee Act was introduced in 1980. The top five source countries are Congo, Syria, Myanmar, Iraq and
Somalia.
Somalia.
Screening of refugees is very thorough lasting 18-24 months. Immigrants are screened by eight different government agencies and process includes checking against six databases, five background checks, four biometric screenings, in person interviews and medical screening. Minnesota averages 3,000 refugees and we see 2,000 more coming after first settling in other states. One-third of recent immigrants were refugees with Minnesota connections.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
- Vino Classico is October 7th
- SELL, SELL, SELL those tickets!
- Get your silent auction items to Carol or Jeanne
- Get your wine donations to Elaine or give her cash and she will shop for you
- EP Community Foundation Brewfest is 9/9 from 3-6 p.m. at Purgatory Creek Park. Several members selling advance tickets.
- One Rotary Summit 9/15 at Earl Brown Heritage Center. See district website for information and registration.
- Please turn in your Rotary volunteer hours and dollars so these can be accumulated at the Club and District levels.
- True Friends breakfast 10/3/17 at Oak Ridge CC in Hopkins 7:30 to 9:30 a.m.
SPOTLIGHT ON CAROL SUNDET-MEEKER
The youngest of four, Carol grew up in Edina and Lake Minnetonka areas. Carol was raised in the family business starting at the age of 15. Graduate of Minnehaha Academy. Carol earned a sociology degree but took her clients problems home with her so she went back to the family business. When the family business was sold, she went to work for the family foundation. She owns and manages nine properties. Her parents are 89 and 86 years old and are in good health. HAPPY FINES
- Dave Anderson gave one dollar for each of his 53 years of marriage. “See the movie Glass Castle”
- Dan O’Brien happy about two-week west coast vacation including connecting with foreign exchange daughters and families.
- Beth Kreush looking for activities for Trini and happy about one year anniversary with our club.
- Jan Eian leaving Sylvan Learning in Edina.
- Frank Sherwood attended Solheim Cup (women’s version of Ryder Cup) in Des Moines, IA
- Carol Sundet-Meeker drove to Grand Island Nebraska to watch eclipse – “worth the drive”.
- Dave Sundet – “It’s not Carol its Punky”
- Adam Seidel – excited about next week’s speaker from Twin Cities Rise
- Bev Aho – Get your Prairie Brewfest Tickets.
VISITORS
Vicki Bomben - Guest of PROP
Cindy Eddy - Guest of PROP
Aaron Glass - Guest of Craig Blixrud
Trini Santillan Oertel - Exchange Student
Student Interns - Rekha Claus and Phillip Kuhn