Rotary Ramblings - December 9, 2008

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   Normal  0      false  false  false                     MicrosoftInternetExplorer4   Rotary Ramblings –December 9, 2008
 
We were entertained by our own Bruce Williams.  Invocation was given by Hack Allen with anappeal for additional volunteers for the invocation committee.  Please contact Hack if you would like to geton the list.  Jim Pignato led us in “Singa Song of Rot’ry” and “Jingle Bells” and we sang Happy Birthday to Bob Teninga,Stormi Norman and Jess Sowards and Happy Anniversary to Stormi Norman and IraFine. 
 
Harvey Brown introduced our visiting Rotarians, Sandy Meeser from Lakewood Foothill, CO and HaroldLipovsky from Berington, IL. Mike Campbell made up at the Boynton Beach Rotary and online.
 
Fred Bonardi gave the stock report – market was down 100 –DOW down 88.3, NASDAQ up 12 and SUP was flat. Oil is also down.
 
Fred Bonardi raised $260 from numerous sources with a largechunk coming from the birthday boys and anniversaries.
 
Announcements/Opportunities for Service:
 
Host Families for Exchange Students from Brazil – needed for ½ year orentire year.  Please contact Steve Batesor Pat Archer if you are able to help with this worthwhile project.
 
Dictionary Project – distribution is underway.  We will be giving out total of 980dictionaries this year.  See Candace ifyou want to help.
 
Achievement Center for Children andFamilies – good turn out last week for the reading/mentoring.  Next date to be announced since the lastThursday in December is Christmas (and we won’t go that day).
 
Delray BeachPlayhouse – last Friday – Ernie gave a stellar performance and we had a good turnout.
 
Adopt-a-Family – We are once again collecting a minimum of$10 from each Rotarian to purchase Christmas presents for a family designatedby the Achievement Center for Children andFamilies.  The committee is comprised ofCraig Hammett, Lori Garland, (new member) Linda Parker and Steve Butera.  Please make your donation early so the elvescan shop.  The family we are collectingfor is a single mom with 2 daughters (age 13 and 6).  She lost her job and they almost got kickedout of their apartment.  To-date, we haveonly collected $300 – Only have next week to collect.  Please bring your money to the meeting orarrange to get it to someone else to bring to the meeting!!
 
Wreaths are outside to be picked up after the meeting.
 
Raffle – We have all been asked to sell 10 tickets.  We are running out of time.  We must raise at least the $5,000 necessaryto payout and we are not there.  Itwill cost the club if we don’t get these tickets sold.  Please turn your money and stubs in at nextweek’s meeting.
 
Holiday Party – thisThursday, 12/11 at Old School  Square Pavilion. Need to advise if you will be attending immediately so we can give finalcount to caterer.  P.S.  To all you who did not go – shame on you –ask anyone who was there.  We had ablast!!  Beautiful cool night – dancing,drinking, eating, drinking, singing-you get the idea.  By the way who knew that Dave Armstrong andSteve Bates played the harmonica?
 
Dues notices to be picked up from Sally today.
 
Leo Phillips opened the talk about Rotary Foundation byacknowledging the substantial contribution our District and our club make tothe Rotary Foundation.  For July-October’08, we ranked 17th out of 530 clubs in the world in donations.  The Rotary Foundation’s mission is to furtherunderstanding and friendly relationships between people in different nationsfostering tangible and effective programs locally and internationally.  Through our donations to the RotaryFoundation, many programs and projects are funded, including but not limitedto:  
Matching grants to Districts and to clubs for projects
Polio plus (out of 100 original countries infected by polio,it is only endemic in 4 countries today because of these vaccinations)
Rotary centers for international studies (there are 7universities world wide that have produced 283 fellows from more than 18countries)
GSE teams (non-Rotarians from various professions visitinganother country-next team exchanges are for Brazil)
Ambassadorial Scholarships (currently sponsor 1 students;however, 38,000 from 110 countries have served as ambassadors of goodwill)
Grants to universities/teachers to teach for four months ina foreign country; 
Humanitarian programs; 
District Service Grants (funds activities locally andinternationally-1,500 have been issued in 64 countries-like the DictionaryProject); 
Volunteer grants where professional people share theirskills with people in other places; 
3H grants – health, hunger and humanity.  2-4 years in length.  Self-help grassroots development projectswhich are too large for 1 club. 
$100 per capita per year is donated to The RotaryFoundation, and our club and our District our one of the leaders in donations.
 
Nancy Owens was recognized for her second Paul HarrisFellowship.
 
Green Hat was up to $1,553.50 but Ira Fine did pull thecard.
 
Note: Checks for Adopt-A-Family should be made payable to Rotary Fund.
 
Next week we will take up acollection for a little Christmas for our Ellie’s Servers – Frank and 
Kim.
 
Next week:  Atlantic Choral Group will help bring us alittle holiday spirit.
 
Don’t forget to bring rafflemoney and stubs.
 
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