Rotary Ramblings - October 14, 2008

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   Normal  0      false  false  false                     MicrosoftInternetExplorer4   Rotary Ramblings –October 14, 2008
 
We were once againentertained by our resident piano player, Bruce Williams. The meeting wascalled to order by President, Steve Bates. Bruce Williams led us in the invocation followed by a lively renditionof “R.O.T.A.R.Y.” and “Smile” led by our own President Steve Bates.  (The deal was Bruce would pray if Steve wouldsing).  We also sang Happy Birthday to GerryMeeks and Happy Anniversary to Dave O’Connell.
 
The Rotarians arereturning to the roost or to visit. Harvey Brown introduced returning BobRidgeway of Rhode Island, Oswald Werrs from Germany, Stanley Fertel from Boca Sunrise and anew visiting Rotarian, Frank Brass from Blue  Ridge, Georgiawho exchanged banners with our club. There were also make-ups by Mike Campbell.  Oswald had a guest from Sweden.  Betsey Owens had two guests, Linda Parker andFazio (both of whom are interested in becoming members of our club).  Our student of the month, had the pleasure ofher parents and grandparents joining in the celebration.
 
Fred Bonardi gavethe stock report which was good news. The stock market was up for the second day in a row 89 points.  NASDAQ was down 11 points but the S&P wasalso up.  Last week was the worst week instock market history.
 
Sargeant at Armsraised $166 from numerous sources.  DaveO’Connell gave $55 for his wedding anniversary and Gerry Meeks gave $7.80 forhis birthday and $5 for his picture in the paper.  Bill Scotti gave $20 for returning to Florida and a fairamount was collected in honor of District Governor (our own) Betsy Owens’official visit.  
 
Alan Kornblueannounced that it’s raffle time.  Thetickets are $20 per ticket and only 500 tickets are being sold.  He encourage everyone to collect theirtickets at the end of the meeting.  It iscritical that all club members participate by selling 10 tickets.  If you have a business, please post a sign inthe business.  Otherwise, talk to yourfriends and family.  It supports a greatcause (our scholarships for Atlantic High School students).
 
Bob Teninga remindedall that the last Thursday of the month is the reading day at the Achievement Center for Children and Families.  8-9am or 4-5pm.  Please contact Bob to participate.
 
Final call for theOctober 23rd – Rotary Get Together – BBQ – party atWright-by-the-Sea hosted by Steve and Peggy Bates.  Bring yourselves, family and prospectivefuture Rotarians.  President Steve isproviding the food and beer and wine.  Ifyou did not sign up at Ellie’s and want to attend, please contact Steve Batesby the end of this week, so he has an accurate count.  
 
Today the Board ofDirectors voted to participate in a matching grant with Palm Beach Flagler cluband two clubs from Mexico.  It is the first time that an internationalclub is sending money to a U.S.club for a project – usually the US clubs send to the foreigncountry.  For the mere investment of$4,400 ($1,200 each from the U.S.clubs and $1,000 each from the Mexican clubs), and with District and RI fundswe are purchasing a $24,000 van for Goodwill Industries Lighthouse for theBlind Program.  The van will contain theRotary logo.  
 
Sue Millerintroduced the student of the month Caroline Caruso (known by friends andfamily as Babe).  Not only has Babeexcelled scholastically (top 12%, honors, advanced placement), she has beenvery active in student government (holding the positions of Vice President,President and Secretary), but also very involved in other leadershiproles.  She is looking to attend North Eastern University next fall tostudy broadcasting in the hopes of one day being an anchor person orcommentator on a national news station and or sportscaster on ESPN.  Babe introduced her teacher of the month,Amanda Orndorff (nicknamed Chappy because her maiden name was Chapman), who isnot only a mentor but a friend as well. Amanda expounded about the strides Atlantic High is taking with regardto helping students get experience in chosen fields, such as TV production,criminal justice (one of the teachers is Delray Beach’s former Police Chief),EMT, and building (having almost completed the construction (from design toconstruction) of a home in Delray Beach.
 
Bill Adams explainedto our visitors the history of the Paul Harris Fellowships started in honor ofthe founder of Rotary and awarded to anyone who contributes $1,000 to theRotary Foundation.  Today, several PaulHarris Fellowships were awarded to Vison Chonsuksuri, Mark Denkler, HarveyBrown, Steve Bates and Nancy Owen.  BetsyOwens indicated that her matching grant offer ($500 from the individual matchedby $500 from Betsy) is good until 10/31/08. 
 
Nancy Owensintroduced Betsy Owen.  Betsy is a nativeFloridian having been born in Pensicola and grown up in Miami. She taught English and related subjects for 42 years.  She is very active enjoying numerousactivities with her husband, Mike, such as ocean racing in their sailboat,windsurfing, golf, tennis and fishing. She has volunteered for numerous organizations, such as the Jr. Leagueof Boca, Delray Beach Education Board, Children’s Home Society and many others.  Her father was a Rotarian.  As a child she developed polio and her fatherdeveloped a serum that was instrumental in its eradication.  This is her last official visit having logged15,000 miles in the past 2 months. Rotary has been around for 103 years. Today 30,000 children die each and every day from preventablediseases.  The current, RotaryInternational President’s “Making Dreams Real” is about decreasing childmortality.  He encourages all Rotariansto look in their own backyards for what is causing child mortality in your area– drowning, child abuse (which has increased due to the economy) and help withsolutions such as education.   The Polioplus program received $100 Million from the Gates Foundation with the stipulationit must be used by 12/31/08 and must be matched by Rotarians within the nextthree years.  Rotary International iscommitted to eradicating polio by 2010 and this will be one by each clubraising $1,000 per year for the next three years.  This does not mean hitting up the membershipyet again – this is intended is a way to raise awareness in the community ofwhat Rotary is doing with regard to polio eradication.  In addition, Betsy passed out a piggy bank tocollect excess change, which can be done by business owners or on your owndresser.  The District is trying to raiseall the money in the first year rather than over the 3 years.  There are 400,000 matching grants, our districthas done 10 of them.  In addition, ½ ofwhat you donate to the Rotary Foundation is returned to the District in theform of District grants, but we need to apply for them and use them.   The District Conference next year is May 1-3and is going to be in Hutchinson Island and titledRotary’s Run for the Roses in honor of the Kentucky Derby.  There were be many activities to raise moneyfor polio by being active golfing, tennis tournament, fishing tournament,walk/run since people with polio cannot do these things.  In addition, Saturday night there will be aderby party.  Our club is sponsoring theactivities that night, and Betsy indicated there will be a special surpise.
 
In addition, in Junethe 100th anniversary of Rotary International is being held in Birmingham, England.  If you can attend, please do as a good timewill be had by all.
 
The green hat had$1,202 and Alan Kornblue did not – I repeat DID NOT – pull the Ace ofspades.  There are ONLY 14 cardsremaining and the great hat will be even higher next week.  Don’t miss your chance at the big money.  See you next week.
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