Program Agenda
Thursday, February 23, 2006

• Call to order / Invocation
• Pledge of Allegiance
• Four Way Test
• Introduction of visiting Rotarians / Guests
• Correspondence / News / Announcements
• Committee Reports
• Unfinished Business
• New Business
• Program
• Adjourn  

Officers and Directors
RI President: Carl-Wilhelm Stenhammar
District 5870 Governor: Ed Mullens
Assistant Governor: Travis Sheffield
Club President: Gayle Berry
President Elect: Mary Ross
Vice President: Carol Bennett
Secretary: Jonathan Noack
Treasurer: Mark Johnson
Club Service: Kathryn Roberts
Community Service: Beverly Lee
International Service: Tracy Oltmann
Vocational Service: Dave Dennis
Sergeant at Arms: Bob Mutschink
Newsletter / Communications: Mary Ross

SERVICE Above Self

Rotary International 2005-06 Theme

Rotary Motto
“Service Above Self”
He Profits Most Who Serves Best

February 23 – Leon Westfall
March 2 – James Arndt
March 9 – Joyce Arndt
March 16 – Carol Bennett
March 23 – Kevin Berry
March 30 – Loretta Chilek

Four-way Test

Of the things we think, say, or do…
Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned?
Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

Weekly Dose of Humor

Before going on vacation, I went to a tanning salon. I was under the lights a bit long and the protective shades I wore left a big white circle around each eye. Gazing at myself in the mirror the next day, I thought, "Man, I look like a clown." I had almost convinced myself that I was overreacting until I got in line at the grocery store. I felt a tug and looked down to see a toddler staring up at me. He asked, "Are you giving out balloons?"

Doctor Bloomfield, who was known for extraordinary treatment of arthritis, had a waiting room full of people when a little old lady, almost bent over in half, shuffled in slowly, leaning on her cane. When her turn came, she went into the doctor's office, and, amazingly, emerged within 5 minutes walking completely erect with her head held high. A woman in the waiting room who had seen all this rushed up to the little old lady and said, "It's a miracle! You walked in bent in half and now you're walking erect. What did that doctor do?"

"Gave me a longer cane."
Daily Dose of Inspiration

"When you cannot make up your mind between two evenly balanced courses of action, choose the bolder." - William Joseph Slim


Dates to Remember

• February 26: Sunday - 3-5 p.m. – Paint Bleachers at City Park.
• March 12: Sunday afternoon club BUNCO party and FISH FRY, 4 – 8 p.m. Bring the whole family and enjoy the fun and games. Prizes will be awarded to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in men’s and women’s and children’s division… plus 1st and 2nd LOWEST score prizes. (Saturday afternoon, March 4… come on out to the South Forty RV Park and help us catch the fish!)  RSVP for both events on the Sign-up sheet
• April 28 – 30: District Conference in San Antonia at Crown Plaza
• June 4: Sunday afternoon BINGO party and WEINER ROAST, 4 - ???  Bring the whole family and a “White Elephant” prize under $10 for each person in your family who will be playing… they will be used as prizes for the game winners. Then we’ll build a campfire and roast the wieners and have some SMORES!! RSVP on the sign-up list.

A Leader Turns Tears Into Action

John Tomlinson learned to cry in Africa. In 1999, the Canadian Rotarian was leading a team of teachers on a Group Study Exchange (GSE) to various countries in southern Africa. They stopped in Brits, South Africa, to visit a makeshift school and were reminded of a valuable lesson. The school, once a fenced compound for housing migrant workers, overflowed with students. Some children had to sit under trees for their lessons from untrained teachers who had about 90 students each. The school had no blackboards, books, or paper, and some of the children wrote on slate boards. Furthermore, there were no toilets, and the nearest water was more than two miles away. Despite all of this, the children were eager to learn, and the instructors were eager to teach. As Tomlinson, a retired principal, watched them, he remembered how four months earlier a teacher at a new school back home was upset because one of her classroom chairs was not the right color. Tomlinson wished that teacher could be in Brits to see that "real teaching is not about a love of furniture; it's about a love of teaching." When it came time for the Canadian observers to leave, the students sang for them as a farewell. They clapped their hands and stomped their feet in the red dust. It was more than Tomlinson could take. These kids had nothing, he thought, yet they were so happy to be at school. The man who had grown up in a house where real men don't cry, walked to the fence and sobbed for half an hour. He called his wife, Marylou, and told her he wanted to go home. Tomlinson ended up finishing the seven-week trip, but not before he visited a hospital that was mainly for AIDS patients. He couldn't forget the babies there. Some babies had been taken to the hospital after they were found in roadside garbage bags. Newborns in plastic tubs were being warmed by the light bulbs over them. Three to four children occupied each crib, where they would stand and raise their arms for hugs. As Tomlinson picked up a little baby who had AIDS, she shuttered and gasped. He handed her to the matron and asked what happened. "She's dead," the matron said matter–of-factly.

A crusader: Those experiences turned Tomlinson into a socially conscious, philanthropic Rotarian. "I became a true Rotarian," he says. "It was [because of] that GSE experience. It was a defining moment. I realized how much we have and how much we can do. I came back and realized that the Foundation was my charity of choice, and that I had to convince others that it should be [theirs] also." Thanks to Tomlinson and his former club, the Rotary Club of Bolton, Ontario, the school in Brits received two Matching Grants from The Rotary Foundation and now has learning materials and a washroom. "I hope they're still singing," says his wife, Marylou. Until the trip in 1999, Tomlinson, now a member of the Rotary Club of Nipissing, Ontario, had never made a personal contribution to The Rotary Foundation. Tomlinson has since donated to the Foundation, and Tomlinson and wife have been recognized as a Paul Harris Fellows. He plans to make his three children Paul Harris Fellows as well. Like Tomlinson, his former club didn't have a history of donating to the Foundation either. But a speech Tomlinson gave to its members about his GSE experience inspired many of them to donate to the Foundation.

Spreading the Rotary message:  Tomlinson's love of Rotary ties in with his passion for educating others. When he becomes governor of District 7010 (Canada) this July, he plans to teach others about Rotary and encourage them to give to the Foundation. He would like to eventually become a district training leader. Tomlinson first came to Rotary 25 years ago. "I was at a point in my career when I felt I needed to give back to my community," says Tomlinson, who was one of the incoming district governors at Rotary's International Assembly taking place 16-23 February in San Diego, California, USA. "I researched all the service organizations and decided to be in Rotary." During the years, Rotary spilled over into his family. His children got involved in Rotarian service projects and attended his Rotary club meetings. Even their dog Jake participated in walk-a-thons to raise money for The Rotary Foundation. And Tomlinson's daughter, Megan, was a Youth Exchange student in Australia. She's now a teacher. Her students are learning about geography, cultures, and Rotary, thanks to an online pen pal exchange with Rotarians. Not surprisingly, her father organized it.During his year as district governor, Tomlinson plans to send a GSE team from his district to South Africa. In May, he hopes to fulfill a promise to take Marylou there.She better bring a box of tissues.

Do you Own Your Own Life? 

When we own our lives, we accept what we've inherited and the experiences we hold in our memories. We also claim our right to create new conditions if we're not happy with what's come before. We assume responsibility for changing what does not suit us. We acknowledge our own special talents and skills, and truly comprehend our right to enjoy the journey. In short, we embrace the meaning and purpose, the mystery and the beauty of our lives. Do you feel that you own your life at the moment?
"Life is too short to be little."
                                      – Benjamin Disraeli

"Every man dies, but not every man lives...."
                                                  -- Garth Brooks

Why Dogs Don't Live Longer Than People

Being a veterinarian, I was called to examine a ten-year- old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his wife, Lisa, and their little boy, Shane, were all very attached to Belker and they were hoping for a miracle. I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family there were no miracles left for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home. As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for their four-year-old, Shane, to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience. The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker's family surrounded hi! m. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away. The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker's death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why." Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation. He said, "People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life -- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?" The four-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply, Speak kindly.

Leave the rest to God.
A Bit More Inspiration!

Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting. Elizabeth Bibesco (1897-1945) Writer

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way

Gold, Silver, or Bronze?

The Olympics are well underway. Newspapers and other media are filled with coverage of these various competitive events which are being held this year in Turin, Italy. The highly-trained Olympic athletes have devoted many years of their lives for one climactic moment in time. I recently viewed some of the snowboarding and ice skating events in awe as the athletes demonstrated their specialties with precision and grace. Several days ago, ice skater Michelle Kwan was saddened and disappointed that an injury prevented her from participating in the Olympics this year. She has had a fabulous career and has won U.S. championships, world titles, and one Olympic bronze medal. She commented that it had been a dream to win an Olympic gold medal, that she had tried her hardest, and that she had no regrets. She reminded everyone that it wasn't all about the gold medal, but rather the spirit of the quest and the love the sport itself.
We have all experienced times in our lives when we've spent much time and effort to reach a goal. Sometimes we have achieved our goals and basked in the glow of our great results. Let's be honest, it is nice to see a reward for our efforts. (Recently, I received a bronze medal. Now I'm no athlete, but I received the medal from our city library for a book that I had recently written. That doesn't happen very often -- believe me, and I was pleased and honored to receive it.) Other times, however, we've seen our hopes dashed -- perhaps because of our own doing or because something completely out of our control. Look back on your own life for a moment and think about something special that you received for your hard work. Was it a military honor? Did you get a badge in Girl Scouts? Perhaps you received straight A's on your report card? Was a sales award? Maybe it was some other type of kudo. Take a moment and relive the joy of that achievement and give thanks to God for giving you the opportunity and the ability to be able to achieve it! While we can always strive to be the best that we can be in many areas of life, we must remember that our quest for excellence applies to our spiritual lives, too. Let us go onward and upward in Christ, to be like Christ, and to honor Christ. There's a great reward for those who diligently seek Him and long to honor Him! (Hebrews 11:5-7;Revelation 4:13)

Today’s Verse

 The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.  -- Romans 13:9-10
      
Today’s Thought

Wouldn't it be great if we didn't have to have laws to keep people in line! That's the point behind Paul's message here. Treat our neighbors like we would like to be treated. Love them as we like to be loved. If we do that, then we're not going to do anything that would hurt them, much less violate a command of law!
Today’s Prayer

Dear God, who gave Moses the Law on tablets of stone, please write your character and will on our hearts that we might be living stones, testifying to your righteousness and grace. Help us to think more carefully about how our neighbors feel before we act or react to them -- not just today, but every day! In the name of your Son, Jesus we pray. Amen.

Have A GREAT Day!

MaryR