Grinnell Rotarians met November 13, 2018, at West Side Family Restaurant for their weekly meeting, meal, and program.
During the business meeting, two upcoming activities were discussed. December 1st, members will be serving as bell ringers for the Salvation Army, and on December 8th, Rotary members will be helping with a celebration for Santa in the Park.
Speakers for the evening were Tom and Carol Narak, Co-Governors of Rotary District 6000. They reported that there are 66 Rotary Clubs in District 6000. They mentioned that the reading programs benefiting students, sponsored by local Rotary Clubs, are very strong, and to keep up the good work. Tom suggested several ideas for attracting new members . He also praised the work that Grinnell Rotary is doing. Tom concluded his talk with this final reminder……..always remember, service above self.
November 20, 2018, Rotarians met for a meal, meeting, and program.
Member Doug Cameron introduced the speakers for the evening, Ashley Grundler and Sandy Motta. Their program was Big Brothers Big Sisters. Ashley Grundler is the Mentor Coordinator of the Big Brothers Big Sisters Program. Her focus is the students at Davis School, who participate in Big Brothers Big Sisters. Sandy Motta is responsible for the students at Bailey Park , who participate in the program. Both Ashley and Sandy said that one caring adult in a child’s life is the essence of what Big Brothers Big Sisters is about. A mentoring organization’s goal is to tip the scale in a positive direction. As positive support accumulates, children learn coping skills, helping them to deal with traumas that they have faced or will face. Some of these coping skills include the ability to problem solve, to plan, to monitor, and to regulate their behaviors and emotions. So, what does it take to overcome childhood adversities? One caring adult. One mentor.
Grinnell Rotary meets every Tuesday at West Side Family Restaurant, at 6:00 p.m.
Dennis Conway