Bulletins - 2008 - 02/27/2008
This
Week's Bulletin Was Written
By Melissa Chapman
President Whitehurst promptly started the meeting. John Adams provided the invocation and we paid our usual respects to the flag.
Jonathon Stone was in full form back from his cruise in Mexico! Of course he was fining people left and right. But he did mention that while away on cruise he did mange to “recruit” a potential member for the club... so it shows how seriously he takes his role. Of Course Paul Marsh gave a wonder brag as he relayed the story of his wife’s wonderful delivery of their 1st Born- Zachary!! And Melissa Chapman bragged about her new home she and her husband just bought... and she offered her services (cleaning etc) to help pay for it!
Mike welcomed guests after admitting that he gave one of the guests from the 701 Rotary Club the wrong address. He then checked to see if the Rotarian in question had in fact made it okay and thank goodness he had!! Mike also encouraged us to bring guests to the club reminding us that we lose 5%-10% of members each year. So we should be bringing guests as much as we can.
- Mel and Carol Jenson handed out a Paul Harris Award to Jenny Goodman (our Lovely Club Photog.. and Bulletin writer). Mel then reminded us all of just what amazing things the Paul Harris Foundation achieves! And how each $1 given goes 100% to those in need, none of it goes to operating the Foundation! Carol told us that every $1000 given to receive a Paul Harris Fellow saves the lives of 4 People!
- Jonathon reminded us of the Wine Tasting Event to be held on Friday 29th Feb.
- We were reminded about the May 10th Downtown Breakfast Rotary Fundraiser. The theme being “Imagine, the World in the Eyes of a Child” to be held at the new Children’s Museum in Downtown. Please commit to providing a donation for the silent auction and also invite guests to this event. Letters were handed out to ask people to help bring in over $70,000 worth it of Auction items etc so that they can clear $30,000 net! Scott Carr has posted a letter on the website that can be downloaded.. they were looking at inviting 500+ this year to try and get a really big turnout.
- We were also reminded by Gary Mc Elroy of the Humane Society Telethon coming up on March 1st.
- And, finally, Mike admitted all along that h e was the one hiding the Club's banner!
 Then Amy, Nicole and Elizabeth got up with Melissa Blackburn to tell us all about the Women’s Resource Fair and made an announcement about their 19th Annual Fair to be held Sat March 1st at the Civic Center Downtown. There will be free financial advice, medical and dental service for women and children, free legal assistance etc! Great event! Also the Ladies were honored with a check from Melissa Blackburn for $1500.00 from our Club in order to help them with the event which helps to provide so many services to Women and Children... of course they were delighted to accept.
THIS WEEK'S PROGRAM
 Sandra Schrift introduced this week's peacemaker series speaker to close the last week of World Understanding Month. Rabbi Ben Kinsley is a author, social critic, a speaker of world affairs. He has written over 200 Articles and Essays on Inter Faith and understanding. Rabbi Ben got up and relayed the most amazing story of his childhood back in his town in Israel in the 1950’s. It was with such poetic imagery that the Rabbi managed to captivate each one of us in the room as he explained the details of his town of yesteryear…. the signing, dancing, laughing etc.. and how important all those simple things had been back then. And how he missed them now. The Rabbi then went on to tell us how he, against all odds, managed to befriend one of his “enemy Arab Neighbors” named Ahmed in the forbidden Orange groves that stood between the 2 villages. And how their brief meeting seemed to transcend all the hatred and differences that they were meant to have had towards each other. It was in the end a story of love, compassion and understanding. He told us to try and put a face on those you “hate” and you will find that you can no longer hate once you do this!
| 
