Written by Patrick Hart

 

President Elliott Pinsel presided at our meeting this week and our pledge and prayer went off without a hitch.  The ride got a little bumpy though when Dennis Kratohwil tried to lead us in a song that was apparently a forgotten oldie, and which living up to its name had long since been forgotten by everyone in the room except Dennis.

 

Tony Collins bragged that he had his wife had just participated in the Door County triathlon.

 

 

Elliott Pinsel quizzed us this week on famous movie roles that were filled by the director’s second choice, and I was fascinated to learn that Harrison Ford only landed the part of Hans Solo in Star Wars after Al Pacino and Brut Reynolds turned the role down.   Also John Travolta could have played Forrest Gump, if he had moved fast enough.

 

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

The club board meeting will be held early next month on August 2.

 

Our newly installed district governor will be attending our August 3 meeting.

 

Tom Zengeler is celebrating a birthday this week,

 

Our speaker this week was Tynisha Gardner, President and CEO of Affirm Leadership Christian Academy (ALCA).  ALCA is an all-girls school located in Waukegan, and the institution provides classes for pre-school through middle school for children from disadvantaged families. They are also now starting to offer high school classes.

 

The school focuses on empowering girls to develop their God given talent and to prepare them for leadership roles in the world.  They concentrate on opening up fields for their students in which women, especially African American women, are under-represented, such as architecture, business entrepreneurship, science and government. They believe that accomplishing this goal requires the participation of the student’s family, and they insist that the parents of their students get involved in the education of their offspring.

 

Ms. Gardner understands from personal experience the extra challenges that girls from less fortunate backgrounds often encounter when they attempt to make their way in the world.  She came from a poor family herself, and her parents were too absorbed in trying to make a living to offer her much support in the educational process.  She also felt that her teachers were disengaged, and when she ended up being held back in second grade, she pretty much gave up trying for the next ten years.  When she was twenty-one though she accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior, and she became determined to give back to her community. She made an effort to help young girls who face discrimination in life, and eventually she became head of the ALCA.

 

Our speaker also mentioned that the Affirm Leadership Christian Academy is holding a golf outing at ThunderHawk on September 12 to raise funds for the school, and she invited our members to participate.

 

This week Howard Jaffe came out of retirement to substitute as sergeant at arms, and he appeared determined to prove that he still has what it takes to humiliate his fellow Rotarians.  He wheeled Elliott Pinsel for failing to sign in, and he then wheeled Dennis Kratohwil for suggesting that the club revive a fine old tradition of having our newest member sell raffle tickets.  I am not sure when making suggestions became forbidden in our club, but Howard took no argument on the question. The culprits each paid $10.00 fines.

 

 

Our weekly drawing offered a $29 prize, while our progressive raffle rose to a grand total of $630.00 with 37 cards left.  Doug Fendon won the weekly pot, which he donated to the Affirm Leadership Christian Academy.  Rob Likus then tried to reel in the big money, but like so many others who have gone on this quest before, he failed to make it, and once more we have a rollover.

 

Greeter and Prayer:  Tom Miller

 

Fun and Frolics and Bingo: Carol August

 

QUOTE FOR THE DAY:

“The foundation of every state is the education of its youth”.     Diogenes