Friday, January 25, 2013

Club Forum!!

Sometimes, the Club Forum meeting is not the high point of members Rotary experience. However, this weeks Club Forum was great.


Brainstorming New Members

Club President, Terry Engelken makes good on his commitment to grow the club's membership. Four teams of Rotarians brainstormed today prospective club members and planned to invite them to upcoming meetings. There were great ah-ha and nodding moments when the teams read through their lists. The new "Associate Member" program Engelken introduced is a big help toward getting potential members to give Rotary a try for 2 months.

We can't publish the brainstorming list here, just in case any Kiwanians get their hands on this blog update goldmine.
Rotary teams brainstorm potential new members

ROTARY YOUTH LEADERSHIP AWARDS (RYLA) - July 7-12, 2013

Dr. Ann Harris talked about planning for the new District 6000 partnership with Rotary District 5970 for a 6-day RYLA camp at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. Instead of the 1-day event in Des Moines that District 6000 has put on for many years, the combined event will run from July 7-12 at the college.


Dr. Ann Harris hypnotizes the club with her message about RYLA

The cost for the longer event will be $400 per student rather than about $90 for the 1-day event. In addition, families will be required to transport their student to Waverly. In the past, up to 3 students from the Club were selected to participate, but now we'll only select 1 high school junior to participate.

Based on Dr. Harris' suggestion, the Club agreed that priority should be given to selecting a Junior that is part of a Rotary family.

Many students that have participated in the week long RYLA camp at Wartburg College have described it as a "life changing" event. The objectives of RYLA are:

  • To encourage and assist youth leaders and potential leaders in methods of responsible and effective leadership by providing them with a training experience.
  • To encourage continued and stronger leadership of youth by youth
  • To publicly recognize the outstanding qualities of many young people who are rendering service to their schools and communities as leaders

ROTARY TURKEY DINNER - September 9, 2013

Nancy Rash confirmed the rumors that she and Lyle Moen would be on a forced march style vacation in Alaska during the Rotary Turkey Dinner. We decided not to move the date from the first Monday after Labor Day. However, Rotarians will need to step up and lead in the tasks that they've been doing so well the past upteen years to make this years event a success.

Remember, the annual Turkey Dinner, held at the UM Church basement, is our big fundraiser that helps us give meaningful college scholarships to local high school seniors.
Nancy Rash says "good luck with the Turkey Dinner!"

BLOOD DRIVE

Rotary helps to coordinate volunteer donors for a blood drive each year. Paul Horak gave an update and recruited callers to contact previous donors for appointments. The blood drive is sometime this Spring at the United Presbyterian Church fellowship hall.

OTHER STUFF

At the Club Forum, we also discussed some actions by the Club Board:

  • A challenge to the Kalona and Wellman Rotary Clubs to match our $500 match to the $1,500 pledge by the Riverside Casino and Golf Resort to host another meal assembly day in their Events Center for Kids Against Hunger. The event last spring during the District Conference was a huge hit with the Rotarians and with the Casino staff that pitched in.
  • Committed $500 to help cover $4,000 in remaining costs for Ballet Forklorico to come from Manzanillo, Colima, Mexico to perform in April at the Washington Community Center on their 2013 Iowa Tour. Read more about this here.  The West Liberty Rotary Club committed $20k toward this project...
  • Engelken reminded the Club that District 6000 Governor Terry Geiger is encouraging all Rotarians to donate a good pair of shoes for the District Conference from April 11-13 at Honey Creek Resort. Registration is open now!
Donations of any size from Rotarians toward helping the Club meet these worthy financial goals is most appreciated. Give your check to Jim Mostek made out to Rotary Club of Washington, and note the purpose of the funds on the check memo.

SERVICE ABOVE SELF

As we sit and discuss in our Club Forums, it is sometimes important to remember that Rotary is a service club, and we need to volunteer out time and talents to better our community. Coordinating a blood drive is a great example. Helping to re-paint the ramps at the Washington Skate Park is a another great example from this summer. 
Rotarians Sue Basten (stooping) & Denise Erpelding (reclining)

UPCOMING PROGRAMS

January 31: Bob Kennedy - Robert McKennedy's recent trip to Ireland
February 7: Paul Horak - planning for upcoming Blood Drive
February 14: Gary Murphy - Brent Hinson on What's Up at the City
February 21: Denise Erpelding - Carol TeBockhorst on Make A Wish Foundation
February 28: Craig Davis - TBA
March 7: Cheryl Kurtz - TBA
March 14: Don Vittetoe - AG APPRECIATION DAY w/ Steve Bohr

Friday, January 11, 2013

Amy Martin talks Diabetes

Amy Martin, diabetes specialist at the Washington County Hospital & Clinics, gave a great overview of  the growing occurrence of diabetes in our community, Iowa, and the nation.
WCHC's Amy Martin and unidentified Rotarian
Amy gave us some stats:
  • 42% of adults in Iowa have pre-diabetes or diabetes.
  • 7.9% of adults in Washington County have diabetes (no current data on pre-diabetes)
  • 28% of adults are obese

To get some info on the symptoms of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, look at the American Diabetes Association.  Most pre-diabetes and full blown diabetes goes undiagnosed - people don't even know they have it, but it can cause some serious health problems.

Amy spoke about programs that the Washington County Hospital & Clinics are providing in order to help people live with their diabetes, or to reduce their likelihood of getting diabetes. Click here for more info.

Thanks to Steve Slaubaugh for a great program!

ALIVE AFTER 5 - TUESDAY, JANUARY 15 @ Cafe Dodici

Hey, don't forget to attend Rotary's first Alive After 5 on Tuesday, January 15 from 5:00-7:00pm at Cafe Dodici in downtown Washington.

  • Bring your Spouse or S.O.
  • Invite a colleague
  • Invite that person that you invited to other special Rotary lunches
  • Have a nice time and mingle with people. Is that so hard?

Thanks to all the "planners" that helped to make this event happen, and to the Chamber.

Upcoming Programs

January 15 - Alive After 5, 5-7pm @ Cafe Dodici
January 17 - No meeting
January 24 - Club Forum!!!
January 31 - Bob Kennedy: Bob McKennedy's recent trip to Ireland

Thanks again the the Applewood Bistro at Halcyon House for a great lunch. Nice buns.

Rotary Exchange Student Host Families Needed for 2013-14

Hey, Don Patterson still needs 2 families to host an exchange student for 4 months during the 2013-14 school year. What a great opportunity! Don and Becky are taking the first 4 months so the student will be broken in...

Volunteer for Iowa Public Television (IPTV), Tuesday March 5

On Tuesday evening, March 5, 2013, 26-30 Rotarians are needed to answer phones and accept pledges during Iowa Public Television's FESTIVAL week.  The approximate time of the shift that we need volunteers for is 5:30 p.m. to midnight.  If you are interested in working the entire time (they don't permit partial shifts) please contact Carolyn at the Rotary District office 877-976-8279 or by email.

Rotary Friendship Exchange Trip to South Africa - April 18 to May 8

District 6000 Rotary Friendship Exchange invites you to take a trip of a lifetime to South Africa for 21 days.  The dates will be April 18 to May 8, 2013.  Includes tours of Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, and 6 days in Kruger National Park. Group size will be 14 people.  Overnights will be mostly in the homes of Rotarians in Districts 9400, 9350 CPT, and 9350 GRJ.  Approximate cost will under $5000 per person which includes the airfare.  To request further information please contact Blair Lawson, blaws5@mchsi.com or call him at 515-961-2284 (Indianola).

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Ballet Folklorico is coming to Washington in April

It was great to hear from former Washington Rotary member, Steve Stout.



















Ballet Folklorico Casa Hogar Los Angelitos is part of the educational program for "Casa Hogar Los Angelitos" (CHLA), a children's home and orphanage located in Manzanillo, Colima, Mexico.  The youth in this ballet group range in age from 12-19 and have performed with professional quality before audiences of thousands throughout southern Mexico, and, in 2009, 2010 and 2011 toured and performed in Colorado, USA, elegantly representing the state of Colima and the people of Mexico.  All of these youth are students from the surrounding communities of Manzanillo, Mexico and from within Casa Hogar Los Angelitos children's home.  These youth are required to stay in school and maintain high scholastic grades in order to participate in this program, while rehearsing twelve to sixteen hours per week. 

In 2013, the Ballet Forklorico is going to be touring Iowa, and in April, they will be in Washington at the Community Center. Here is a 3 min. YouTube video of Ballet Forklorico performing in Colorado back in 2010.

You can check out a PDF of their tour info and more info about the CHLA.

Since Steve has been spending most of his time in Mexico for the past decade, he's been President of Manzanillo Rotary Club back in 2007-08. While Rotary president, Steve reached out to Washington's John Hays to come to Manzanillo to bring one of his chlorine makers to help purify water for drinking. That's a lot of Washington working down in Manzanillo.

While in Washington, he managed Bazooka Farmstar and even the Captain's Table restaurant before that.

LUNCH

People seemed to be pleased with lunch provided by the Applewood Bistro at Wesley Halcyon House. Nice. Yum.

UPCOMING PROGRAMS

January 10 - Steve Slaubaugh: WCHC's Amy Martin
January 15 - TUESDAY Alive After 5 at Cafe Dodici
January 17 - (no Rotary)
January 24 - some kind of program
January 31 - another program