Events

Join us for an interactive session hosted by Membership Committee to gather member insights on attracting our new best friends to City of Lakes.

We will engage in a fun brainstorming activity where each member will contribute ideas to help the membership committee enhance its efforts to attract diverse service-oriented professionals at various stages of their careers who live or work in or near downtown seeking more community connection in order that City of Lakes Rotary will continue to thrive as a vibrant community of leaders that give generously of their time, talent, and funds to benefit those in need.

Chief Judge Toddrick S. Barnette was raised by his mother and grandmother as an only child in the Anacostia neighborhood in Southeast Washington, D.C., an area widely known for its crushing poverty and devastating crime.

Judge Barnette attended an elementary Catholic School a few city blocks from his grandmother’s house.  For high school, Judge Barnette traveled an hour on public transportation to attend DeMatha Catholic High School located in Hyattsville Maryland, just a few miles from the University of Maryland.

After high school, Judge Barnette commuted from his home to The George Washington University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and sociology.  At GWU, he was particularly engaged in the Educational Opportunity Program, an enrichment and tutoring program designed to foster students of color.  Following graduation, Judge Barnette considered pursuing a graduate degree in criminal justice, but on the advice of mentors decided to go to law school.

Judge Barnette attended The University of Minnesota Law School, where he earned his juris doctorate.  During law school, Judge Barnette worked for the Hennepin County Public Defender’s Office as a law clerk.  After graduation, he joined the Hennepin County Public Defender’s Office as an attorney.  He handled a variety of misdemeanor and felony cases, and spent a significant portion of his career handling juvenile delinquency and child protection cases.  From 2001 to 2004, Judge Barnette was the senior attorney supervisor in the Drug Court Unit.

After 14 years with the Hennepin County Public Defender’s Office, Judge Barnette joined the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office as a senior assistant county attorney in the Juvenile Division.  There, he prosecuted all types of delinquency cases.  He had a special focus on certification of juveniles as adults and “extended jurisdiction juvenile” cases.  Judge Barnette was also responsible for the Criminal Sexual Conduct Team within the Juvenile Division.

In 2006, Judge Barnette was appointed to the Hennepin County Judicial District Court.  He served as the Presiding Judge of Drug Court for two years.  He also has twice served as the Presiding Judge of the Criminal Division. Judge Barnette is currently the chief judge of Hennepin County District Court. 

Join our Zoom meeting

It's time for the annual Minneapolis City of Lakes Rotary Foundation fundraising kickoff event. This year we're mixing it up and going virtual! Sound like a boring zoom meeting? Absolutely not! Look forward to an amazing MC and hear about the difference you are making in our greater comunity and around the world through our Avenues of Service.

5:30-6:00 p.m. Happy Half-Hour
6:00-7:00 p.m. Program

Link to event to come. 
Attire: Business casual; pants optional!

RSVP: Fill out this form and email to maria.bavendar@gmail.com to secure your spot. The first two drinks are on us! Respond by Sept. 23 or it's BYOB.