Gregg Smith and the Kingsley Trio helped us waste away again in “Margaritaville.”
Happy birthday, Doug Meteyer
Ramona Pleva introduced our guests. No visiting Rotarians today.
President Dale needs a few volunteers over the next couple weeks to help people sign up for committee assignments during the meetings.
Paul LaPorte read a nice note from Frank Sisson about Howard King’s passing.
Congrats to George Powell, who won $25 in this week’s 50/50 drawing.
Rotary will have a float in this year’s Cherry Festival Heritage Parade. See Sid or Randy if want to get involved.
The Petoskey Rotary Club invited the Club to a Beach Bums game on June 11. Contact Emma Moyer if you’re interested: emma@nmshousing.org
Precision Lawn Care Drill Team will meet soon. See Vern Gauthier if you want to join the fun.
Kids Free Fishing Day, which draws about 300 kids, is right around the corner and the Water Committee is looking for volunteers. They need about 65 people total to cover the morning and afternoon shifts. Contact Homer Nye.
Tag Day is June 3, 4 and 5, sign up for a shift in the back.
Rotary’s World Community Service projects are having a major impact on people around the world. And this week we heard from Dawn Brown about the School of Hope project, which is providing education for kids in Haiti.
The people of Haiti face many obstacles in life. Government officials speak one language while average people are taught another. 90% of the schools cost $300-1200/year so about 50% of the children in Haiti do not even attend. 30% of the children don’t make it to 3rd grade due to poverty and, since the caste system still exists, it’s not uncommon for kids to become house slaves.
School of Hope is trying to remove many of these obstacles by focusing on providing basic education and basic needs to children who are oppressed. They’re not focused on building schools (there are plenty of unused buildings an other spaces), they want to provide the basics of life to one child at a time.
The approach is working, too. The program, which started with one student, now has 350. And, in addition to providing a basic education, program leaders try to provide one meal per day to kids and sometimes water and school supplies. They’re also improving women’s health by providing menstrual kits and support for midwives.
If you want more information about the program or learn about how you can get involved, contact Lorraine Beers.
If you thought libraries were just stuffy places filled with books, newspapers and Dewey Decimal card catalogs, think again. Our very own Traverse City Area District Library (TADL), is a major community resource that provides a wide variety of services like movie and music rentals, publicly accessible computers, WiFi service, learning programs for all ages, and, of course, good ‘ole fashioned books and magazines, too.
The TADL regional network includes six different locations, covering about 97,000 residents, and serving approximately 63,000 cardholders. They have a seven member board of directors and a $4.865 million budget.
If you thought the days of reading actual books were long gone, consider this: over 149,000 books have been checked out already in 2016.
You may be surprised to know that TALD now holds the City Archives that were once held at the History Center of Traverse City.
If you haven’t been to the Woodmere location in a while, be sure to take a peek at the newly transformed youth services department. And the Summer Reading Club is right around the corner and, psssst…by they way, that’s not just for kids. Summer Reading Club for all ages, too.
Soon area voters will be asked to renew the library millage and Matt Wiliford said there’s been a little confusion about the millage but wanted to make it clear that no additional tax is being requested.
Want to learn more about your library? Experience it for yourself: Stop on over to one of the locations, browse the website (www.tadl.org), or check out the TADL Facebook page or one of the pages of your local branch.
Thanks for Emma Moyer for introducing our guest speakers Matt Wiliford, TADL’s Communications and Marketing Director and Gail Parsons, TADL’s Director.
End Polio Now: Traverse City Rotarians Challenged to “Make History Today.”
The Sunrise, Noon & Twilight Clubs and guest Rotarians attended this Special luncheon meeting. Dr. John F. Modlin, Director of the Polio Strategy Team at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation was the keynote speaker. Since 1978, Dr. Modlin has served on the faculties of Harvard Medical School, John Hopkins University School of Medicine and Dartmouth College. His topic “Global Epidemiology.”
Rotary international continues to be the heart and soul of Polio Eradication. We are in the “Final Push” to achieve this Global Objective. Only two countries remain polio-endemic: Afghanistan and Pakistan. Polio cases are down 99.9% worldwide (from 350,000 in 1988 to fewer than 100 cases in 2015) the work is still not finished. The remaining 0.1% of polio cases are the Most Difficult to prevent because the Virus persists in the hardest-to-reach areas, in addition to tribal and political boundaries and security of volunteers.
New technology and improved virus vaccines are being utilized in this ongoing effort to achieve success. Unique processes of manufacturing, supply and inventory are being used to ensure quality and delivery to critical outbreak areas. Surveillance using satellites and tracking the viruses and case movement (travel) across the various countries is being employed. We are very close to winning this challenge but we will succeed!
Rotarians (and the public) are being asked to donate at this critical time because the Gates Foundation will match your donation by two-to-one. $25 will equal $75 for Polio Eradication.
For your information: Norm Veliquette, a fellow Rotarian, Elk Rapids Club, was present at the meeting. Norm has been involved in the Polio eradication for many years, and has published several books related to the subject & history of Polio. If you wish to contact him for further information: E-mail: normarvel@aol.com
Important details for the Coal Dock Meeting on Tuesday, June 7th. Please park at Brewery Creek (behind Subway) and you will pick up your boxed lunch there. A shuttle bus will take you to the tent on the coal dock for the meeting. No parking at the site that day, shuttle bus service only. Please let me know if you have any questions 941-5421
CURRENT CAREER – Attorney-shareholder Smith & Johnson, Attorneys, P.C.
EDUCATION – B.S., Michigan State University 1968
J.D., University of Michigan Law School 1971
FAMILY – Married to Linda; 3 kids: Breena, Audra and Travis
FAVORITE DESSERT – Tie between butterscotch pie and strawberry shortcake.
LAST BOOK READ – Tim Russert, “The Wisdom of our Fathers”
FAVORITE MOVIE – “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly”
FAVORITE SONG – “This Land is Your Land,” Kingston Trio
TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF NO ONE IN THE CLUB LIKELY KNOWS -
While I was stationed in Korea as a new 2d Lt. in the Army Infantry, I was entrusted with one of two keys necessary to access the arming codes for all nuclear weapons stored on the Korean DMZ. Fortunately, that key was not needed while on my watch.
Also, as president of Rotary Camps, I signed the check to pay for the Rotary Center purchase of the Park Place from bankruptcy court.
LIFE ROLE MODEL – My father for his work ethic. Having lived through the Great Depression, he spent all his energy on achieving a better life for his children than he had.
MOST SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENT – Convincing my youngest daughter to break up with her first serious boyfriend.
PROUDEST MOMENT – Successfully defended rape charges against a high profile physician and father of 5. He had been prosecuted based on a false claim concocted by a lying patient and her “con man” boyfriend intending to extort money from the doctor.
FUNNIEST THING THAT HAS EVER HAPPENED TO YOU – It was early in my marriage. Intending to surprise my wife with a flight to Boston for a 3 day get-away, I secretly opened a separate bank account and deposited a small sum of money. When the day arrived to take the trip and pay for the ticket, the bank informed me the account was closed, and I had no funds to pay the air fare. I told the bank it better find my money. Then the bank told me a “Mrs. Johnson” had withdrawn the deposit. My wife had discovered the account, thought the bank had made a mistake, and had spent the money.
IF YOU COULD BE ANYONE IN THE WORLD FOR A DAY (present or historical), WHO WOULD THAT BE—AND WHY? – The guy who just won a huge lottery jackpot.
MOST FAMOUS PERSON MET – John F. Kennedy during a campaign whistle stop in Battle Creek, Michigan.
ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO SHARE – Being a member of this Rotary Club has given me the opportunity to meet a great number of caring, sharing people in this community who not only talk the talk, but walk the walk of service above self.
World Community Service Month
May 2016
“We are Global Citizens”
As Rotarians we look beyond our own backyard. We feel our commitment to world causes. Our service to international projects stems from the fact that we are Global Citizens. No, not just lip service to helping those beyond our borders, we act. RCTC members should be particularly proud to have been involved in over 30 major projects in some 16+ countries around the world in the past 10 years. That is a legacy of leading!
Do you realize that your club has led fundraising for projects in Nigeria, Sudan, South Africa, Guatemala, Honduras, Haiti, Peru and Nepal, to name just a few? We have either initiated or co-sponsored projects in these countries which improved the lives of men, women and especially children, living there. By our Club leadership, funds were collected from multiple Rotary Clubs, then leveraged to multiply the positive impact those generous donations had. We don’t follow; we lead.
Your contributions this year will go towards three major projects: medical care to Peruvians in remote villages along the Amazon; Business literacy training for women in Guatemala; and to PolioPlus. In addition, we will support smaller projects in South Africa and Haiti (school & a midwife center), depending upon the availability of funds. Our goal this month is $15,000 in total contributions; But more importantly, to see greater than 80% membership participation. So please join us as Global Citizens in
Traverse City Rotary With a Tax Deductible Contribution at our next meeting. Please click here to see full document
The World Community Service Committee
The Petoskey Rotary Club has invited us to join them for a Beach Bums Game Saturday, June 11 at Wuerfel Park, as they play the Joliet Slammers at 7:05pm. Tickets are $8, and can be reserved by emailing Emma Moyer at emma@nmshousng.org."
The TC Chamber and Rotary Club will be closing the office at 2pm on Friday, May 27th as well as being closed the entire day on Monday, May 30th in observance of the Memorial Day Holiday. If you need assistance you may still email tcrotary2822@gmail.com as I'll be checking my email. Thank you, Kathy
Rotary’s World Community Service projects are having a major impact on people around the world. And this week we heard from Dawn Brown about the School of Hope project, which is providing education for kids in Haiti.
If you thought libraries were just stuffy places filled with books, newspapers and Dewey Decimal card catalogs, think again. Our very own Traverse City Area District Library (TADL), is a major community resource that provides a wide variety of services like movie and music rentals, publicly accessible computers, WiFi service, learning programs for all ages, and, of course, good ‘ole fashioned books and magazines, too.
End Polio Now: Traverse City Rotarians Challenged to “Make History Today.” 
CURRENT CAREER – Attorney-shareholder Smith & Johnson, Attorneys, P.C.
Next weeks Club meeting, August 2nd will be at the Park Place Hotel Dome Room
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