District 6440 Fall Seminar

******************** SCHAUMBURG AM EYEOPENER*****************

Our Motto: Fair and Fun Reporting

You Say It, We Print It

November 10, 2012 Fall Seminar Special Edition

www.SchaumburgAMRotary.org

www.rotary6440.org

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COME FOR FUN, STAY FOR GOOD

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THAT’S ROTARY

Saturday morning – 6 am – Do I really want to go to the Fall Seminar???

It’s only a few weeks until busy season and the beginning of my 12 hour days, 6 & 7 day

weeks. Besides, several other club members will be there; and frankly over the last 22

years, I have probably heard 90% of what will be presented. But then again, Greg did say

the keynote speaker was very good, and it will be over by noon .....

Okay…. into the shower, on with my Iowa sweatshirt, and off I go.

Two hours later: Coffee, scrambled eggs and ham ‐ not bad for a free breakfast. Then

DG Mike’s suggested in his opening comments that those who ate for free (all of us),

consider putting what we thought the breakfast was worth into a jar. Why?

Because the many donations of clothing and supplies going to the New York victims of

hurricane Sandy would not fit in one truck, they had to rent a second one. Over 300

Rotarians dropped over $2,000 into that jar in a New York minute.

THAT’S ROTARY

Time for Jean Irwin, the keynote speaker, or should I say stand‐ up comedian. Do your

eyes start to tear when you laugh a lot? Mine do, and did. More than just prepared

remarks, she made some off the cuff comments and posses for the photographer that

had the room rolling.

But her presentation was not about comedy, it was about the $26,000 (more than she was

making per year) Ambassadorial Scholarship she received in the late 1980’s to go to

Nottingham England and research teaching the deaf to read and speak. Not an easy task

as she went on to describe the challenges involved. If she ever returns, don’t miss her.

And, as she explained, payback on $26,000 investments take time. Returning to the US,

it has been over the last 20 plus years that Rotary’s payback is being realized. It is not

from her, but from the achievements and success of her students. I can’t recall exact

statistics, but many are now college graduates, where in years past they would be unable

to read beyond a basic grade level.

THAT’S ROTARY

So far decent breakfast and good speaker.

Now what breakout session should I go to. I think I’m beyond the ABC’s of Rotary;

Sharon is going to Social Media and I am not that into it; so I guess it’s the Membership

session with Rodney Adams.

No offense to Rodney, but I’ve been there ‐ done that, just recently at DG Mike’s visit;

and at more than I can remember membership sessions over my last 22 Rotary years.

Grabbed some coffee to help keep me awake.

After about an hour, we were just about to take a 10 minute break when DG Mike came

in and said “There is lightening and rain on the way. How about extending your break

for another ten minutes, they need help getting the boxes on the truck before the

weather gets here.” Several of us headed outside.

As I crossed the parking lot, a light rain had already started. I saw the rental truck with

stacks of boxes right behind it, and just as I arrived someone said “They need more help

inside the truck.” My calling! It’s out of the rain, not as much lifting, and I have been

there, done that. Just ask my daughters, I have moving truck loading experience!

For the next half hour I was part of a chain passing bags and boxes as we packed the

truck. But the rain came down, the boxes got wet and so did my pants and sweatshirt.

During the occasional pause while things were stacked and tied off, I thought of where

these clothes and boxes came from and where they were going. Gathered in a matter of

days from unknown people, headed to the East coast over the next few days to other

unknown people. If they could talk, I wonder what stories they would have to tell in 20

years.

Soon the truck was almost full and fewer people were needed inside it, so I headed back

to the seminar. With wet clothes on the outside, sweat on the inside, it sure would have

been nice if there were electric blow dryers in the bathroom. But, I was in a bathroom

….. with electricity …. and hot running water, …. and within an hour would be home

where I could shower and change into warm dry clothes. Many in New York still do not

have that luxury.

Back to the seminar. Rodney finished the session discussing the Shared membership

program. Many in the room learned some valuable information today. So did I.

Not about Shared membership, I already knew that from DG Mike’s club visit.

What I learned, AGAIN, is what Rotary is about.

Service above Self, People helping People, Being there when the need is there.

Supporting the Rotary Foundation.

THAT’S ROTARY

It not what happens at every meeting, or every activity, or every seminar that makes and

keeps me a Rotarian.

It’s the real life stories of an Ambassadorial scholar making a difference in the lives of

others; it’s the schlepping wet boxes of donated clothes with people I don’t know, from

people I don’t know, going to places and people I will never know, in the back of a rental

truck on a rainy Saturday morning. The Saturday morning that I almost stayed in bed,

but changed my mind, because it would all be over in a few hours.

HA!

More like at least another 20 years.

THAT’S ROTARY

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I'm done

And so are you.