BULLETIN – November 20, 2024
By Tim Dempsey
 
President Jon Robb opened the meeting, Dave Potts gave the Pledge, Greeter Doug Fendon led us in prayer and in honor of our speaker, took us through the Olympic bong.

BRAGS:
-States Attorney candidate Mary Cole rejoined our meeting and gave us an update on her campaign. She finished second and raised $520,000. She received the highest vote for a Republican in many years.
-Bill Taranowski’s son David, a tennis player, turned 18 and Bill took him on a trip to Italy to see a tennis tournament. 
-Steve Risley bragged about Mike Gattone, our speaker, who coaches the USA Olympic weightlifting team that won 2 medals in Paris last summer.
-Jim Laverdiere just returned from New York City. His daughter had hand surgery.
-Ellen Young was visited by her son and 18-month-old grandson Charlie. Charlie was great but they had to child proof their house!
-Happy Datt did a garden walk and toured a backyard museum at a house on Old School Road.
-Tom Zengler told us his Coats for Veterans drive gathered 8200 coats! He also was on a 2-week trip to Japan and proposed to his girlfriend Courtney. I think she accepted!
-Tucker Olson said his brother Steve moved from Colorado to the Caymen Islands and stopped by on his way. 7000 feet to sea level!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
-Holiday baskets are at the goal. No more needed unless other sponsors drop out.
-There will be NO morning meeting next week due to holiday travel.
-The Holiday Party will be 12/4 from 6 to 9 pm at Timothy O’Toole’s. NO morning meeting. Elliot will have his truck there to pick up wrapped ornaments for the Gift Drive. Don’t forget to attach the ornament!
-Preparations are already being made for the next Rotary year July 2025 through June 2026. President elect Tom Gore asked that everyone consider positions for next year on his email. There are 17 positions to be filled. He forgot to mention that we could use more Bulletin editors!

FUN & FROLICS:
Carol August had Fun & Frolics and was a no show. I detect a wheel in her future!

PROGRAM:
Today’s program was Mike Gattone, the head coach of the USA weightlifting program. Mike was the first employee hired at the Centre Club by Rich Schoeneman. He was in Paris when the US won 2 medals in weightlifting last summer. Mike has been Sports Performance Director for the USA program for 7 years. Under his direction the US has won 4 medals in Weightlifting. 2 in Tokyo and 2 in Paris. Altogether the program has produced 37 medals in competition.
There has been a cultural shift in how weightlifting is viewed. Strength is now cool. Our women dominate in world competitions. Men are more difficult because they participate in other sports. The program has a $7 million budget. $4 million is paid to the athletes for living expenses so they can be full-time professional athletes. Athletes train full-time and are located all over the country. The program has a staff of 12. They created a holistic approach to training. Staff include dieticians, psychologists, sports medicine, and biomechanics. Athletes are evaluated twice a year by a volunteer doctor of biomechanics at Marquette University.
Olympia Reeves won gold at the Olympics in Paris last summer. Athletes are tested randomly, and the sport is pretty clean. If someone fails one test, they are out.  

RAFFLE:
-Daily: $33 won by Tom Zengler. He donated it to the Food Pantry.
-Progressive: $214 (47 cards). Jim Laverdiere drew the 5 of clubs. ROLLOVER!

NEXT WEEK:
-No meeting next week
-12/4 Holiday Party.
-Next morning meeting is 12/11.
 -Greeter & Prayer: Rick Mittelman.
 -Fun & Frolics: Patricia Bleck.
 -Program: Reina Lee from Heart of the City.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
“It must be borne in mind that the tragedy of life doesn’t lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach.”  -Benjamin E. Mays