VSP Newsletter

September 2016

VSP Board Learning – Connecting - Serving Chair, Ron Stuedemann 763-755-6548 Retiree Giving and Volunteering Survey [email protected] The Foundation is excited to announce that the Retiree Giving and Volunteering Survey is now available for the participation Secretary and Membership, by all Medtronic retirees. The Medtronic Foundation is interested in Carol Baumgartner 651-464-6049 learning more about how retirees commit their time, talents and [email protected] treasure to build healthier communities. The information you share will help inform how the Foundation aligns its programs with your Social Events, Jan Miskowic philanthropic interests, and to better support your future volunteer 763-425-0508 and giving efforts. Please visit the following website to participate [email protected] in the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LLF2SG8. All information shared is confidential and will be consolidated for Marketing, Jan Prazak analysis. A report out on the survey findings will be available later 763-544-9612 this fall. Please send your questions and concerns to Katie Troyer, [email protected] [email protected], (763) 505-5614.

Volunteer Events, Judy Bergman Medtronic VSP Fall Outing – Register by Sept. 21 651-295-4507 Mark your calendar for the annual Fall Outing which will happen on [email protected] Thursday, October 13. See attached flyer for details and sign up information. Newsletter, Dianne Ohlenkamp, 2016 OL’ Timers’ Fall Get Together 763-786-8379 There’s an informal OL’Timers’ Group of technical (or near [email protected] technical) Medtronic retirees, plus a few veteran Medtronic

Lunch & Learn Events and employees (some have or now work at competitors), that meets Webmaster, Jerry Hartlaub informally, annually to reconnect, tell cool stories and enjoy a 651-633-0281 beverage. The 2016 OL’Timers’ Fall Get Together will be held at [email protected] CROONERS Lounge and Supper Club (old Shorewood) in the lounge, on October 4 (Tuesday) beginning at 5:30 pm. All like Treasurer, minded “Medtronic folks” are invited. Frank Skubitz is the keeper of Denise Corbett the email list. [email protected] Project Warm Hearts Volunteer Opportunity Board Member, Karen Kutzner Would you like to share your time and talents from the comfort of [email protected] your own home to keep community members warm? Project Warm Hearts is for you! There will be a meeting for Medtronic retirees or spouses interested in knitting, crocheting or sewing items for community donation at Medtronic Operational Headquarters on Website: http://mdtretirees.org/ September 23, 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. Please contact Karen Kutzner at [email protected] or 763-560-7995 by September 15 if you would like to join the group, for additional information, or to contribute yarn, cotton or flannel fabric to the Project Warm Hearts volunteers.

VSP Holiday Social It seems like a long way off but time flies so mark your calendar now for the annual VSP Holiday Social which is scheduled for Wednesday, December 7, at the Mermaid in Mounds View.

Second Harvest Heartland - Help us provide more meals during Hunger Action Month!

September is Hunger Action Month, a nationwide campaign to raise awareness of the issue of hunger. You can help us provide more meals to our neighbors in need by volunteering in September!

Every hour you volunteer during September will be matched with a $5 donation from Bremer Bank, up to a total of $50,000! Sign up now for a shift!

Walk to End Alzheimer’s – September 17 Join the Medtronic team at the Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Saturday, September 17, 9:00 a.m. at Target Field (see attached flyer). To register and donate go to: http://act.alz.org/goto/TeamMedtronic. The Mission in Motion Your Cause Event ID = 3374005

American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of the Twin Cities Walk – October 15 The American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk unites communities to support each other, honor those affected by the disease, and raise awareness and funds to create a world free from the pain and suffering of breast cancer. The walk is on Saturday, October 15, 8:30 a.m. at US Bank Stadium. To register and donate go to: www.makingstrideswalk.org/twincitiesmn.

Bakken Museum - Evenings @ You won't want to miss the next 21+ event! These MN makers take curiosity and tech inventions to a whole new level. Immerse yourself in virtual reality, experience drones on our green roof and much more. Don't forget to grab food/drinks from Natedogs and D'Amico while listening to music from Empathy Cell.

Save the Date for future Evenings @ The Bakken:

October 27 - "Mary and Her Monster" exhibit premier party!

VSP VOLUNTEER REPORT

Thank you to these VSP members for volunteering at The Food Group on August 10th: Sue Ahlstrom, Judy Bergman, Ruel Carpenter, Rick Haws, Ken Heruth, and Jeanne Morgan. The group repackaged 500 pounds of pasta. Enough for 416 meals. Each volunteered packed 69 meals!!

FUTURE VSP TEAM VOLUNTEER EVENTS:

- Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon Packet Assembly – September 22 - Matter – September 24 - Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon Packet Pick-up – October 7 - Bridging – October 20 - Second Harvest Heartland – November 17

Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon Packet Assembly – Thursday, September 22 Registration is open*! Spots have been reserved for VSP retiree volunteers to assemble race packets for the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon on Thursday, September 22 from 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. at the Union Depot located at 214 Fourth Street East, St. Paul. To register go to http://twincitiesinmotion.volunteerlocal.com/volunteer/?id=17437 Enter the password: PACKETS16 and when asked “Are You With a Group” enter: Medtronic Retirees

Matter – St. Louis Park, Saturday, September 24 Registration is open*! We will be sorting donated medical supplies at the St. Louis Park location at 7005 Oxford Street from 9:00 a.m. – noon. To register, please log into the Mission in Motion website using the below link and search for the event Matter – Retiree. https://medtronic.yourcause.com/yourcause-sso/contractorlogin.aspx?subdomain=medtronic If you do not have computer access, please call Judy Bergman at 651-295-4507 to register. If you need help with the website, please contact Alison Stinar at [email protected].

Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon Packet Pick-up – Friday, October 7 Registration is open*! Spots have been reserved for VSP retiree volunteers to hand out race packets for the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon on Friday, October 7 from 10:45 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the St. Paul River Center located at 175 West Kellogg Street, St. Paul. To register go to http://twincitiesinmotion.volunteerlocal.com/volunteer/?start_over&id=15539 Enter the password: MEDEXPO16 and when asked “Are You With a Group” enter: Medtronic Retirees

Bridging – Roseville, Thursday, October 20 Registration is open*! We will be volunteering at their new Roseville location at 1730 Terrace Drive from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. To register, please log into the Mission in Motion website using the below link and search for the event Retiree - Bridging. https://medtronic.yourcause.com/yourcause-sso/contractorlogin.aspx?subdomain=medtronic If you do not have computer access, please call Judy Bergman at 651-295-4507 to register. If you need help with the website, please contact Alison Stinar at [email protected].

Second Harvest Heartland – Golden Valley, Thursday, November 17 Registration is open*! We will be volunteering at their Golden Valley location at 6325 Sandburg Road, Suite 1700 from 1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. To register, please log into the Mission in Motion website using the below link and search for the event Retiree – 2HH – Golden Valley. https://medtronic.yourcause.com/yourcause-sso/contractorlogin.aspx?subdomain=medtronic If you do not have computer access, please call Judy Bergman at 651-295-4507 to register. If you need help with the website, please contact Alison Stinar at [email protected]

OTHER COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES FOR VOLUNTEERS:

American Cancer Society – Road to Recovery Donate your passenger seat to help save lives. Volunteer to drive cancer patients to treatment. One of the biggest roadblocks to cancer care is transportation. That’s why the American Cancer Society Road to Recovery program helps provide patients with free rides to treatment. For more information or to register go to cancer.org and look under the “Get Involved” tab or call 1-800- 227-2345.

Bakken Museum – Tour Guide and Other Volunteer Opportunities The Bakken Museum is looking for Tour Guides. If interested go to https://www.thebakken.org/volunteer to find the Tour Guide Job Description as well as other volunteer opportunities.

Tutor Mentor for Project Pride in Living (PPL) - New Hope, and St. Paul Project for Pride in Living Youth Development strives to empower students from low-income families to achieve success in school and in life through academic support and hands on enrichment opportunities. Volunteer tutor -mentors are match on-one-one with a student, and support the student's social and academic growth through literacy tutoring, homework help, relationship-building and enrichment activities. The schedule is 4:30 - 7:30 pm. Call Mary, 612- 704-6114, or Email Mary for more info.

AARP Foundation Experience Corps Literacy Tutors Volunteer as an in-classroom literacy tutor! Volunteers are placed in Kindergarten through Grade 3 classrooms in 15 schools and community sites across Minneapolis and St. Paul to work one-on- one with students who are not yet reading at grade-level. Tutors help to close the achievement gap by providing literacy support and serving as another caring adult students see at school. Stipends available for an 8-10 hour/week commitment through the school year.

For more information, contact Erin Simon, Volunteer Coordinator at 612-708-5933, or Email Erin for more info.

Sub-Saharan African Youth and Family Services (SAYFSM) SAYFSM has the following volunteer opportunities:

1. Teach and assist program participants in knitting, quilting, sewing or spinning/weaving. a. The program is held Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. b. Volunteers can teach as frequently as they would like. c. Volunteers can assist with participants ongoing projects or bring in their own projects for the participants to work on.

2. SAYFSM is seeking a volunteer with a background in sales or marketing to help develop a sales and marketing strategy for selling the program’s goods. This is a great skilled-service opportunity for a VSP member.

3. Cotton cloth donations for the program to be used for projects.

You can learn more about the SAYFSM Fiber Arts Program at http://www.sayfsm.org/services/services-self-sufficiency

OTHER COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES: Please check the following websites for other individual and small group volunteer opportunities: http://www.volunteermatch.org/search/index.jsp?r=20.0&aff=&l=Minneapolis%2C+MN%2C+USA &o=recency&s=11

MEDTRONIC FOUNDATION GRANTS (VOLUNTEER AND MATCHING DONATIONS)

To log your hours for the 25-hour annual Volunteer Grants and to match your monetary donations to qualifying charitable organizations dollar for dollar through Medtronic Foundation’s Matching Grants program, go to the Mission in Motion website at http://medtronic.yourcause.com/yourcause- sso/contractorlogin.aspx?subdomain=medtronic.

If you have never used the site before, fill out the Retiree Registration form here: https://medtronicfoundation.wufoo.com/forms/medtronic-retiree-registration/. Submit your e-mail address. Within 48 hours, you will receive login credentials for the Mission in Motion community accessed above through Google, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Internet Explorer

For questions about this process or website, contact Noi Keothammakhoun at [email protected] or Alison Stinar at [email protected].

MEDTRONIC VSP GROUP Austin, MN Fall Outing Thursday, October 13, 2016

Join fellow retirees for a fun filled day as we travel to Austin, MN in a comfy bus from Minnesota Coaches. This is a wonderful way to experience crisp fall weather and lots of beautiful fall scenery. The all day tour offers something for everyone.

Our first stop will be at Foods’ recently reopened Museum. To celebrate its 125-year anniversary, Hormel Foods is hoping to attract 125,000 visitors to the museum in the next twelve months with interactive exhibits and galleries looking at Spam's popularity around the globe, Spam's history with the US military, and Spam today. It also features a set of bluegrass instruments made of Spam cans, a 12-foot Spam rocket, a Spam can conveyor suspended from the ceiling, and a Spam children's play area.

At our second stop, the , we will have lunch and go on a self-guided tour. The stately 14 room house, built in 1871, was the home of the George A. Hormel Family. It features stained glass windows, decorative woodwork, pillars imported from Italy,

Tiffany light fixtures and marble fireplace.

We will be treated to a delicious German Jagerschnitzel meal: Pork cutlet with mustard-infused sauce spätzle, hot German potato salad, grilled asparagus, red cabbage sauerkraut and an apple strudel desert with whipped cream.

Our next stop will be the , a world leader in cancer research through the study of food agents and cell functions. Started in 1942 by Jay C. Hormel, The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota has a seven-decade history of making significant scientific discoveries aimed at improving the health of the world. For the past 20 years, The Hormel Institute has targeted its cutting-edge research on better ways to prevent, detect and treat cancer’s basic molecular mechanisms by focusing on developing new anti- cancer agents.

Our last activity of the day will be a guided Austin city tour where we will be introduced to local points of interest and lesser known or quirky sites. At the end of the tour you will be given a spam cookbook.

The total cost for this fun-filled outing is only $45 per person. Taxes and gratuity are included for the meal and bus driver. A portion of the cost is subsidized by the VSP Group.

Bus leaves at: 8:30 AM Pickup Location: Target (694/Central Ave.) Fridley MN (Please park in SE corner of the lot) Return time: Approximately 6:30pm Registration deadline: Wednesday, September 21, 2016 Direct tour questions to: Jan Miskowic 763-425-0508 or e-mail – [email protected] ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Registration: Name (s): ______

______

______number of attendees @ $45.00 each = Total enclosed $______

Make checks payable to: Medtronic VSP

Mail reservations to: Denise Corbett 1601 Rice Creek Road NE Fridley, MN 55432-5238