Golden Vally Rotary kicked off 2023 with an inspiring presentation by Jaime Belden, President and Co-Founder of the non-profit Future Roots. Jaime updated us on a challenging and rewarding water project. The water project, installing low-cost water filters in homes in remote villages in Central America, is sponsored by 7 Rotary clubs in our area: Crystal – New Hope – Robbinsdale (primary club), Golden Valley, Minnetonka, Brooklyn Park, Maple Grove, St Louis Park, and Plymouth.

Jelan Heidelberg was originally welcomed into the Club during COVID times (remember all the Zoom?) and never had an in-person membership ceremony. So we did a re-do last week and celebrated Jelan's membership.

 

Before retirement, Jelan had a long and varied career with IBM. In the late 70's and throughout the 80's, she worked as a systems engineer, supporting companies large and small throughout the Twin Cities.

 

She then switched to working virtually long before it was popular and when the tools were much more primitive. She worked for IBM Rochester and then for headquarters. In her last dozen years at IBM, she managed several software products and had the opportunity to travel the world. She traveled just enough to whet her appetite for more -- more places and more time to meet the local people and learn. Since retirement, Jelan and her husband Jim have criss-crossed the globe. Their latest adventure took them to her 88th country, Rwanda. Jelan joined the Golden Valley Rotary Club in late 2020.

 

"When our children were going through Hopkins Schools, particularly Meadowbrook Elementary, I volunteered as much as I was able," said Jelan. "I co-chaired the carnival, served as volunteer chair, and treasurer of the PTO. As our children got older, I shifted my volunteer work to Hopkins Education Foundation, where I served on the Board for 7 years, including 2 as Board President. I'm still on the Board as an emeritus member and help with the website and other marketing activities. I've always felt very connected through the schools but haven't felt strongly connected to Golden Valley as a community, especially because I worked remotely for so many years. That's why I joined Golden Valley Rotary...to become more connected to the community where my husband and I have lived since the mid 1970s. I want to get to know people outside our neighborhood and the school community. In terms of service, my strengths lie more in behind-the-scenes work; marketing, web management, and in organizing activities and events. And I hope my international experience and love of travel will somehow merge with some Rotary activities."

 

Welcome, Jelan! We are thrilled to have you as a member of the Rotary Club of Golden Valley!