Expansion

When I was elected National Trustee in 1999, we had 6 lodges and a little more than 400 members in all of Minnesota. I embarked on an expansion program: the principal was simple, and it still works. Identify an area where there is interest. Speak to the people in the area, and find one or more people that are the "spark plugs". If necessary, hold an informational meeting. Once we have 10 people committed, hold a chartering meeting and charter the new lodge.

The first lodge that I chartered was Lodge #7 in Red Wing. As I think about the other lodge charterings, lots of stuff happened - many interesting and sometimes funny things. I remember Neil Brodin flying us up to Moorehead in his plane so that we could charter Lodge #8. We had a great time when we chartered lodge #9 in the Taproom of Fitger's in Duluth. Bruce Anderson and I drove to - and back from - Alexandria in a snowstorm to charter Lodge 10. In more recent years, I recall an informational meeting that we held in Roseau - eventually leading to the chartering of Lodge #22. The photo attached to this posting is one that I sent to Tom Penoza, the National Treasurer who lives in Delaware. He told me that he didn't think that he could live in Minnesota.

Of all of the lodges that we have chartered since 1999 - 7 through 24, The only 2 that I did not actually charter were numbers 18 and 19, due to previous family commitments. I did spend an evening at the informational meeting that did lead to the chartering of 18.

As we stand now, we have 23 lodges and about 2500 active members. While I am loathe to toot my own horn, and I certainly didn't do this alone, I think that my colleagues on the State Board will tell you that a very large amount of this was due to my work. Through it all, I have never lost the vision that what we do is for the improvement of the living conditions of cops and their families. Of all of my accomplishments, I am most proud of the growth of the Minnesota FOP.