September's Board Meeting Turns Into
Grand 140th Gala
While the
September Board of Directors' Meeting had all the normal components, the
setting moved to the Radisson Hotel on the University of Minnesota campus.
And more than 350 of LSS' strongest supporters and good friends joined the
Board and senior-level staff to mark the 140th anniversary of LSS at a
gala reception, dinner and celebration.
Special guests
on the program included David Tiede, past president of Luther Seminary,
Bishop and Board Member Craig Johnson, Minneapolis Area Synod of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Bruce Nicholson, President/CEO of
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, R.T. Rybak, Major of Minneapolis, Peter
McLaughlin, Hennepin County Commissioner, Senator Linda Berglin and
Representative Karen Clark. In addition, an LSS client served by LSS
Housing Services in Minneapolis shared his family's story of finding their
way back to stability following an unemployment and financial crisis.
In addition to
viewing an historical retrospective of work performed by LSS over the
years, Mark Peterson, President and CEO of LSS presented the keynote
address. Bruce A. Henry and his Messiah Bridge Band played special gospel
music during the program. Board Chair, Paul Batz, served as Master of
Ceremonies.
The assembled
group also saw the introductory video that outlines the new Center for
Changing Lives, a building that will replace current facilities at 2414
Park Avenue in Minneapolis. The new center will also house Messiah
Lutheran Church, as well as other Faith in the City collaborative
services, such as The Wellness Connection and the Personal Finance Center.
Bruce
Nicholson, President and CEO of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans presented
a gift and challenge grants amounting to $600,000 to help pay for the new
Center for Changing Lives to Board Chair, Paul Batz. Paul announced that
this gift increased the total already raised for this project to $2.2
million.
Other
highlights of the evening included presenting the Volunteer of the Year
award to Joanne Munson from Minneapolis who serves as part of the LSS
Refugee Resettlement effort. The award was a quilt, handmade by LSS
certain staff and purchased by the LSS Cabinet at the Camp Knutson Quilt
Auction in 2004.
