Weekly Bulletin March 31, 2021 (Mar 31, 2021)

WeeklyBulletin

March 31, 2021 • Rotary Club of Missoula, Montana • Chartered May 2, 1917

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Volunteer to share your inspirations and greet members at Rotary lunch meetings

Dr. Daniel Lee shared a story about gratitude that he learned from one of his father's lessons on "Samaritan Feet." If you would like to inspire or greet, please see Mike Schauf and sign up.

Lunch at Missoula Country Club

Join fellow Rotarians for fellowship and lunch at 12 o'clock noon on Wednesday, March 31, at the Missoula Country Club. Our lunch fellowships afford time to get to learn more about other Rotarians. Lunch cards are not usable for the Country Club fellowship gatherings; they work only for meetings at the Florence. Each member pays his or her own lunch when we meet at the country club the last Wednesday of each month. See you there!

Last Week Update March 24, 2021

Virtual Symphony Pandemic Style

Last week's speaker was Julia Tai, the new director of the Missoula Symphony, who shared about how the Symphony has been able to perform during the pandemic challenges of the past year.

When the pandemic hit in early 2020, about 25 percent of the symphonies around the country had to learn to adjust. About one-third of the orchestras couldn't perform or closed down. What changed was that symphonies had to think about virtual or outdoor concerts to accommodate the CDC guidelines. Technology has changed the art world and there is high unemployment among musicians, Julia said. The Missoula Symphony was able to work with various artistic groups to pull together video performances in lieu of live ones. One such video shown at the meeting was Symphony at the Ranch. A local ranch opened up its doors to host an outdoor event in September.

Another concert entitled Carnival of the Animals had been performed for several years for about 1,000 fourth graders from all over the Missoula area. Last year, they offered an online performance instead with the help of actors, teachers and dance professionals. Even University of Montana's mascot Monte showed up to do his part. Over 5,000 children watched the online performance which is still available to view on YouTube.

The Symphony will host two upcoming concerts: a Harp and Soul concert offered April 9 and April 11, and a We Shall Overcome concert with guest artist Anna Clyne and the symphony choir on June 4 and June 6.

Looking to the future, Julia said that digital media offers a broader reach of audiences and will continue to help provide music to Montanans.

USS Montana Launch Party

On Wednesday, March 31, the State Legislature’s leadership will host a special event to hear an update on the future USS MONTANA and her crew from the commanding officer, Captain Michael Delaney. The program will begin at 5 pm Montana Time.
Governor Greg Gianforte will introduce Capt. Delaney, who will participate by internet link because of his having to be at the submarine next week during the current intense construction completion and crew training period.
The event, to be held in the Capitol’s Old Supreme Court Chamber, will also feature the unique Oro y Plata ship’s bell that will be presented to the submarine and crew by the USS Montana Committee when the boat is commissioned into the fleet early next year.
The bell is a submarine-sized replica of the bell from the first and only other USS MONTANA, Armored Cruiser Number 13 commissioned in 1908. The bell provides an especially unique connection between the Navy and Montana. Our state motto, Oro y Plata, is Spanish for Gold and Silver. Melted into the bell are gold and silver dolphin pins worn by qualified submariners, gold by officers and silver by enlisted sailors. And the bell also has in it real Montana gold and silver.
Ringing of the ship’s bell by state leaders will launch a series of presentations around the state with the bell over the remainder of the year.
The event will be streamed and may be found on the State Legislature’s “Watch and Listen” web page at https://www.leg.mt.gov/audio-video/ .

Spotlight - Rotary International

Rotary and the Blue Thread

WATER is the blue thread that runs through all Rotary's areas of focus -- Water, Sanitation and Hygiene are all linked. People need all three!

· Access to water for household needs -- cooking, washing dishes, laundry, hygiene, bathing, hydration and safe drinking water.

· COVID-19 heightened awareness that handwashing plays a critical role in reducing disease transmission.

· Three billion people worldwide lack basic handwashing facilities and soap at home.

How Rotary responds:

• Water service projects

· Rainwater collection

· Wells (boreholes)

· Install / repair water distribution pipes

· Water treatment plants

· Handwashing stations

· Clean up local rivers

MONTANA Rotary Clubs continue to support water projects in all the areas described. We work in our local communities to clean up river banks and provide drinking fountains. We also work internationally, providing water and sanitation improvements in Liberia, Guatemala, and Honduras over the past ten years.

The Rotary Club of Missoula is part of the Global Coalition working to supply clean water and sanitation to Guatemalan villages. Thank you for your support of this important project!

Victoria Emmons

How Mother Nature keeps us guessing

I actually thought it was spring. I changed out the wreaths on my front doors to a springtime motif. The lavender orchids in my window started to bloom. Birds chirped up a storm when I opened the door in the early morning to let my dog out. Blackbirds started harassing the squirrels again as the big birds were upset about furry creatures trying to steal from their nests.

I also made sure my bedroom window was kept closed this year. Last spring, a bird built a nest on top of the open window, much to my surprise. When I closed the window, the bird’s nest plopped like a rock 12 feet below onto the ground. I could just hear the female bird complaining to her mate about why he had selected that particular location for their home.

Ah, yes, the joys of spring.

Then it snowed. Monday morning brought more snow, along with some sunshine, in kind of an interesting combination. Spring is filled with all kinds of surprises. And Mother Nature likes to keep us guessing. Just like our Rotary year has been filled with surprises.

We’ve had to be flexible and bend with the wind, so to speak. With each change or challenge, our club has had to adjust. And we have. Learn more about all that we’ve done to adjust and change at our Annual Meeting on April 7.

This year kept us guessing, too, just like Mother Nature does.

Notables

Posted by Martha Ripley

ROTARY BOARD NOMINEES

Nominees for the Rotary Club of Missoula Board of Directors FY 2021-22 include: Royce Engstrom, Donna Upson, Dan Lee and Rick Oncken. In addition, the board approved Royce Engstrom to serve as president-elect nominee FY 21-22. Dean Fielder will serve as president FY 21-22. Wayne Hiett will serve as president in FY 22-23 and Royce will follow him in FY 23-24. Please be available to vote at our April 7 Annual Meeting.

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ROTARACT SAVED!

Thanks so much to everyone who came forth with Rotaract member candidates! Through our collaborative effort with the Missoula Sunrise Rotary Club -- Matt Doucette, Margaret Parson, Cale Mages -- and those at work to accomplish this task from our own club by offering their assistance -- Minot Maser, Bill Schwanke, Rick Oncken -- our Missoula Rotaract Club has been saved. Margaret's stepson Austin Parson has agreed to serve as the Rotaract president. Several others have spoken to young people in town who are interested in joining Rotaract, too. The club will soon be once again thriving and we can invite these young people into our fold as future Rotarians.

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HELP YOUR FAVORITE NONPROFIT

Submit your application for grant funding by April

Do you know a worthwhile nonprofit that might need support? Your Missoula Rotary club is seeking worthwhile nonprofit organizations who need funding for their projects. Each year, our club supports a variety of projects with the funds we raise. All projects must fall within one of the seven areas of focus as identified by Rotary International, including peace and conflict prevention/resolution, disease prevention and treatment, water and sanitation, maternal and child health, basic education and literacy, economic and community development, and supporting the environment. The application is available on our website. President Victoria Emmons has also emailed it to every member. Grant applications must be submitted by a member of our club on behalf of a 501(c)3 organization. Please contact President Victoria if you have any questions.

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DID YOU KNOW?

Q. What is the new theme of Rotary International for FY 2021-2022?

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A. Answer to last week's question ... Who currently serves as chair of the Rotary Foundation Board of Trustees? K.R. "Ravi" Ravindran of the Rotary Club of Colombo, Western Province, Sri Lanka, is a third-generation Rotarian, joining Rotary at age 21. He is currently chair of the Rotary Foundation Board of Trustees. As RI president in 2015-16, Ravindran introduced the Rotary Global Rewards program and led a delegation of about 9,000 Rotarians to the Vatican for an audience with Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square. Ravindran was the first president of the Sri Lanka Anti-Narcotics Association, which today is the leading agency fighting drug addiction in Sri Lanka. He headed a national committee consisting of Rotary, his country’s health ministry, and UNICEF for the eradication of polio, and worked closely with UNICEF to negotiate a cease-fire in the ongoing civil war with the northern militants to facilitate National Immunization Days. Sri Lanka became the first country in South Asia to become polio-free. He also headed a Rotary project to build 25 modern schools across the country to replace those destroyed by the 2004 tsunami at a cost of over $12 million. Ravindran is the CEO and founder of a publicly listed company engaged in the print and packaging industry with worldwide clientele. His company, Printcare PLC, is a winner of national and international awards of excellence. He is the recipient of The Rotary Foundation’s Citation for Meritorious Service, Distinguished Service Award, and Service Award for a Polio-Free World. His country conferred on him the title of “Jewel of Sri Lanka” and released a postage stamp in his honor.

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2021 ROTARY DISTRICT CONFERENCE IN KALISPELL

Save the date for the annual District 5390 Conference to be held in Kalispell May 14-16. Both live and online versions will be offered to accommodate everyone.

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MASK, PLEASE.

Facial masks are still required by the City of Missoula, although things are looking up as more and more people are receiving vaccinations. Pick up your Rotary People of Action mask at our next meeting at the Florence.

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HELLO.

Facial masks. No handshakes. No buffet lunches. Still a welcoming atmosphere as we meet at the Second Set Bistro on the first floor of the Florence Building, or via Zoom if you can’t attend in person. Meal Cards are on sale at check-in for $180 for 12 meals. $20 per lunch for individual lunches, both members and guests. Invite a guest! Remember we meet the last Wednesday of each month at Missoula Country Club for fellowship, no program. Just a good time with fellow Rotarians.

Service Above Self.

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March is Water, Sanitation & Hygiene Month.

Wash your hands! Use hand sanitizer to kill those pesky germs.

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