January 6, 2009
Today, January 6, 2009: Welcome to Rotary in 2009. Today we will have a club assembly. When we last met, we enjoyed the entertainment by the Howell High Chorale led by Rod Bushey. Really good program! We also celebrated Zemp's 60 (sixty!) years of perfect attendance at Rotary. That deserves a Wow!
We have some good programs in January. Next week, Peter Bowen, the man from Morgan-Stanley, will give us a 2009 Forecast. Representatives from The Wall StreetJournal and the Treasury Department are rumored to be in attendance, but that is only a rumor.
January 19: Beth Duman (who trains dogs to be companions of the handicapped and raises money for the Salvation Army when her dogs place dollars in the bucket) will talk about "The Status of the Wolf in Michigan."
January 26: John Suave will discuss "Austin's Movie."
Most of you remember Debbie Felder-Smith, former director of Lacasa. Debbie's father, Larry Felder, passed away on January 2. He can be viewed at Keehn's Funeral Home in Brighton on Tuesday, 6-8; on Wednesday 2-4; and the funeral is Thursday at 11 a.m.
Rick announced the winners of the Rotary Raffle on December 17. We will hear more from him today about the profit-loss and the names of the winners. Nonetheless, Rick handled this important project almost single-handedly and deserves our thanks and applause.
Brighton Rotarian and Tour de Livingston rider George Moses created a video of the Tour and posted it on YouTube. Click here to view!
INITIATIVE FACILITATOR
ORIENTATION AND EDUCATION OF NEW MEMBERS JUDY GARVER
NEW MEMBER RETENTION AND MENTORING JANET MCPEAK
GETTING YOUR CLUB'S COMMITTMENT TO GROW GERRY JACKSON
RECRUITMENT & MYTHS OF ROTARY JIM GILMORE
TALKING ABOUT ROTARY - WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME? GAIL SCOTT
INDUCTION OF MEMBERS - MAKING THE MOST OF IT AUDREY CHAVELIER
Please contact the district membership coordinator for your club on who your club will be sending to this important meeting. The ideas discussed of what your club can do in each of these areas will be shared with you, as well as other valuable membership information in a MEMBERSHIP IN A BOX kit each club will be receiving in 2009.
Blind Rotary Scholar completes half-marathon
By Arnold R. Grahl
Rotary International News -- 23 December 2008
Helen Keller had Anne Sullivan, and Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholar Eveling Urbina has D'Lisa Simmons.
Urbina, a 28-year-old blind woman from León, Nicaragua, recently finished her year as a Rotary Scholar at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, studying English. She was sponsored by Rotary International District 5890 (Texas, USA), of which Simmons is a past governor, and RI District 4240 (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Panama).
But perhaps more impressive, Urbina, who'd never run a step in her life before she went to Houston, completed a half-marathon -- 13.1 miles -- in late October with the help of Simmons, a former Rotary Scholar herself.
"She was overjoyed to finish," says Simmons, who guided Urbina along the course by holding onto one end of a towel while Urbina held the other. "People were very supportive and encouraging. Most of our running group hung around to see us finish."
"The experience of completing a half-marathon has really changed my life," Urbina noted in her final report to The Rotary Foundation on her scholarship year. "It made me realize that, even though I am blind, I can accomplish almost anything. It gave me a feeling of dignity and self-worth."
Simmons met Urbina during a community service project to Nicaragua in 2000 as president-elect of the Rotary Club of Galleria Area (Houston), during which she toured the Rotarian-supported Santa Lucia School for the Blind with a group of Texas Rotarians. Simmons was so moved by the encounter, she returned two years later to bring Urbina a Braille typewriter.
Since then, Rotarians in Simmons' district have helped Urbina in many ways, including purchasing Braille equipment and software that translates words on a computer screen into spoken language.
At Simmons' encouragement, Urbina applied for an Ambassadorial Scholarship, with District 5890 providing the money to the Nicaraguan district. Simmons took Urbina into her home for the first five months of her stay, teaching her how to care for herself and navigate on her own. Braille labels covered everything from cabinets to the kitchen stove.
One step at a time
Simmons also coaxed Urbina into learning to run, as a way to build her self-esteem and increase her social interactions. Training with the group HoustonFit, Urbina had to learn many things, including proper gait and arm swing.
"It was frustrating for her initially, because she wanted to keep up with the group," Simmons says. "Once she got moving, she didn't want to run slowly. When she runs, she wants to run."
After months of training, the pair entered the Houston half-marathon, and crossed the finish line to a chorus of cheers, bells, and applause.
"When I heard the bells at mile 13, I really thought I was dreaming," Urbina wrote. "I knew I could finish."
Simmons, who is now a member of the newly chartered Rotary Club of Houston Skyline, says the entire experience has transformed Urbina. "The program has given her a wonderful sense of self-confidence and helped her develop, grow, and mature."
Urbina says her goal is to use her scholarship to help others.
"I am excited about the opportunity to return to Nicaragua and share my experience," she says. "My dream is that I will one day become a Rotarian."
A little (very little) humor
1. The roundest knight at King Arthur's round table was Sir Circumference. He acquired his size from too much pi.
2. I thought I saw an eye doctor on an Alaskan island, but it turned out to be an optical Aleutian.
3. She was only a whiskey maker, but he loved her still.
4. A rubber band pistol was confiscated from algebra class because it was a weapon of math disruption.
5. The butcher backed into the meat grinder and got a little behind in his work.