Hometown Heroes
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Aashna Kumar
Edina High School senior Aashna Kumar is among the first-ever graduates of the Edina Rotary Global Scholars program. Her work including examining sustainable agricultural practices across cultures and continents and her representation at the Model G20 Leadership Summit earned her a Mayor's Youth Service Commendation.
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Andy Lewis
Andy Lewis has taken his knowledge of land use and applied it to racial justice by volunteering to help educate people on restrictive property covenants and assist in renouncing them.
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Bob Hursh
Hometown Hero, or really Bluebird Hero, Bob Hursh sets up and maintains scores of nesting boxes specifically designed for bluebirds. This Birdman of Edina has helped more than 1,400 baby bluebirds fledge since 1992, and his work led to Braemar Golf Course being named a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary.
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Frannie Kuhs & Jane Tyggeson
These Hometown Heroes help Edina schoolchildren learn about great works of art and create their own through the volunteer-led Art Adventure program.
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Hannelore Brucker
Hometown Hero Hannelore Brucker has continued her lifelong passions - medicine and music - into retirement by still working tirelessly to help people with many projects, including turning her home into a recording studio to play for nursing homes during the COVID-19 lockdown.
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Harmony and Joel Kaplan
What started as a way to entertain people during the COVID-19 shutdown turned this Edina couple into a social media sensation, with their classic song parodies earning them the nickname the "Distancing Duo."
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Jasmine Brett Stringer
Jasmine Brett Stringer is devoted to amplifying the voices of BIPOC women and working toward equity and inclusion. This Hometown Hero has launched organizations devoted to the cause and serves on the Edina Community Foundation's Board of Directors and Edina's Human Rights & Relations Commission.
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Jeff Hall, Jane Lonnquist and Mimi Stake
This Country Club trio organized an effort to educate neighborhood homeowners on restrictive covenants likely in their property deeds and how to get assistance to renounce them.
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Josh Sprague and Susan Stiles
A flat tire during a service trip in Guatemala gave Rotarians Josh Sprague and Susan Stiles time to learn about a little girl with a life-threatening condition. They were able to get her medical help to save her life and, along with other Rotarians, are leading an effort to get her the longer-term medical care she needs.
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Julie James
Retired teacher Julie James continues to live the Creek Valley Elementary School motto "Go out and make a difference!" with her multiple volunteer efforts including coordinating fundraising events and other off-field support for Edina High School football.
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Maggie Seidel
High Schooler Maggie Seidel is a Hometown Hero for her efforts to assist an organization that provides a crisis nursery for young children.
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Magnus Borene
Magnus Borene was enjoying a trip to Willow River State Park in Wisconsin when he heard a child yelling for help. Magnus overcame his own physical challenges to climb to the boy’s rescue and prevent him from going over Willow Falls.
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Meg Rodriguez
The Rodriguez family came to Edina, from New Jersey, two decades ago in part for the excellent schools for their children. Meg Rodriguez has returned the favor and then some, helping found Edina Give and Go to fund opportunities for all children, and, during the pandemic, been involved in efforts to provide evening meals for families and tutoring and care-giving assistance to children at home for virtual learning.
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Mike Seeger
The skills Mike Seeger gained as a member of Boy Scout Troop 68 helped him grow into a leader and a successful Edina Police Officer. This Eagle Scout and Hometown Hero is now paying it forward as Scoutmaster of the same troop
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Sayali Amarapurkar
Amarapurkar co-founded AshaUSA, which takes its name from the Hindi word for hope, to help provide programs and education to the growing but underserved South Asian community. It's one of many roles this Tom Oye Human Rights Award winner has taken on to help families.
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Shane Stumm
Shane Stumm started out volunteering and coaching for the Edina Soccer Association and now helps lead the organization to grow and better serve Edina's youth.
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Steve Tschida
For 27 years, Steve Tschida has been one of the secrets to Edina Hornet athletic success across sports. Tschida serves as both athletic trainer and equipment coordinator, ensuring Edina athletes have everything they need physically and medically to perform their best.
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Sydney Raley
Sydney Raley learned the Heimlich maneuver when she was 11 as part of a Red Cross babysitting course. Four years later, working at McDonald's, she would jump through the drive-through window and use that technique to help save a choking customer.