Rotator September 19th

Posted by Keith Clifton 
 
Rotator for the week of 26th September with speaker Pastor Gary Simons. "Chain Reaction Bermuda"  Rachels Challenge
 

" Every Copy, Every Week; into Every Rotary Home!"

 

Last Meeting September 19th, 2006

 

Pres Keith welcomed Rotarians and their guests to our meeting and asked visiting PP Averylon to lead us in the National Anthem and PP David the Rotary Grace. 

 

Attendance :   We had a splendid 23 in attendance this week, which President Keith put down to the fact that he was back from vacation!  21 members, along with 2 guests, PP Owens wife Pamela, and Leo our exchange student from Germany. 

 

The welcome song to our guests was led by PP Jim, who Pres Keith had to slow down as he was so enthusiastic he almost started before Pres Keith had announced it!

 

Student Loan Fund :  Dir George although standing in at the welcome desk for the "errant" members had to leave early on other Rotary business and so Pres Keith asked our exchange student Leo to draw the winning tickets which were both held by an exuberant Sec William especially when he "cleaned up," winning both the first cash prize and the jackpot.

 

Business:

 

?   LCCA Tag Day Reminder to volunteers that the LCCA tag day is on Friday September 22nd outside the Phoenix on Reid Street. 

?   Membership   Pres Keith thanked those who had made an effort recently to bring potential new members to the club and reminded everyone that we must keep up the effort to build our numbers.

?   Directors Meeting  Reminder to Directors and Officers that there will be a board meeting at 4:30 on Thursday 21st at his offices.

?   Welcome Desk .  Responsibilities change each month.  Please do your part in supporting the club when you are called on to man the desk and arrive early to get yourself organized The assigned group of four is responsible for covering the desk or finding alternatives.     Check the Rotator, our Web Site or your e-mailed club bulletin to see if you are on duty with the welcome desk and student loan fund raffle.    

 

Speaker:   Dir Neville introduced Pastor Gary Simons from the Cornerstone Bible Fellowship and Director of "Chain Reaction Bermuda".  Pastor Simons gave us a very moving and interesting presentation about Rachel Scott the first student to be murdered by Eric and Dylan in the Columbine High School Tragedy in 1999. Rachel was a remarkable young lady who believed her life would have an impact on the world.

 

After her death Rachel was awarded the Acts of Kindness Association 2001 National Kindness Award for Student of the Year. Rachel's father tells some strange and powerful parts of Rachel's story. She had had a premonition that she would die young and that she would be a homicide victim, but she also had said, "I'm going to have an impact on the world", all of which were made true.  Found in her backpack was her diary and the latest entry showed a picture of crying eyes with tears dripping onto a rose surrounded by drops of blood. This had been drawn just before her death and she had drawn exactly 13 tear drops, the number of people who were killed in the Columbine shootings. She had also written poems in the months before her death and one excerpt read, "The world you have created led to my death," and much earlier in life had drawn her hands on the back of a piece of furniture with the words, "These hands belong to Rachel Joy Scott and will some day touch millions of people's hearts."  Rachel set a goal to reach out to three groups that were often neglected.  Those that were handicapped, those who were new at school and those who were picked on and put down by others

 

From this tragedy Rachel's father Darrell Scott founded Chain Reaction also known as Rachel's Challenge, a programme that aims to stop bullying in the prevention of school violence.  Research has proven that violent outbreaks in schools are usually due to bullying, teasing and/or ostracism. The programme aims to disarm bullying and therefore prevent potential violence by promoting kindness, respect and understanding.

 

Five challenges are presented for students which encompass the power of influence, the importance of goal setting and journaling, the removal of prejudice and bullying as well as how to create a climate of kindness. These five challenges are "Eliminate Prejudice", by looking for the best in others, "Dare to Dream", write goals for your life, keep a journal, giving evidence that those who have goals are more likely to succeed in life.  The third was "Choose Positive Influences", highlighting that input determines output. Hitler was one of the role models for the shooters, Eric and Dylan, while Rachel's was Anne Frank. The shooting actually took place on Hitler's birthday. The fourth was, "Understand the Power of Kind Words", emphasising that many do not realise the impact of a simple compliment and the fifth "start a chain reaction of kindness with family and friends".  "People will never know how far a little kindness can go, you may just start a chain reaction," were Rachel's words.

 

Pastor Garry Simons is the Director of Chain Reaction Bermuda and is implementing the program in Bermuda. Six Schools in Bermuda have accepted the challenge to start a "Chain Reaction" The students were asked to honestly reflect on the long term effects of their words and actions on their fellow classmates. If students could see the painful scars that their brutal words can leave, then bullying, name calling and gossip might stop.  Students would have a new motivation to see everyone as valuable and worthy of dignity and respect.  The results could be life changing and could change the culture of their school, which is what has begun to be seen in Bermuda.

 

Director Gwyneth Rawlins gave the official thanks of the club to Pastor Gary Simons