BULLETIN – April 3, 2024

By Tim Dempsey

 

Short timer President Babjak opened the meeting. Kim Smith gave the Pledge and Rich Schoeneman led us in prayer.

 

-Scott Hezner bragged about the people on Zoom.

 

-District Conference is April 20^th at Rotary International.

-The Glen Ellyn Club is having a lunch for the Rotary President on April 12^th.

-Our meeting on April 17^th will feature our fundraiser sponsors.

-Highway Cleanup is April 13^th. 7 am at Sunset Foods.

-Howard reported that there was a fire at Austin’s. They are reopening today. Several of the Second City cast go on to the Main Stage.

 

-Glenn Garlick presented Rick Mittelman with a Major Donor Award. Congratulations Rick! 

 

-Rick Mittelman conducted a baseball quotes quiz.

 

Today’s program was Brian Ahern from Rotaplast. Brian has been a Rotarian for 12 years. He is starting an initiative with the 64 Clubs in the District to support Rotaplast, which  conducts surgeries on kids with Cleft lips, Cleft palates, and burn surgeries.  Rotaplast was founded in 1992 in conjunction with the Rotary Club of San Francisco. They conduct 2-week trips as a volunteer team. They have medical and non-medical volunteers. Brian’s first trip was to the Philippines. The team saw 100 kids and did 80 surgeries. He said it was amazing to see the kid’s reactions.

Brian's mission is to get 64 Clubs interested in going on trips. The initiative included money from the District and Clubs. Each mission costs $ 60,000. Rotaplast is Rotary plus plastic surgery. They go where clefts are an issue. In the US clefts are fixed at birth. Their patients are 3 months to 18 years old. Clefts are probably due to a lack of folic acid.  Surgeries take 45 minutes to 4 hours. A second surgery may be required. The kids are usually bullied.

Each trip involves transporting about 40 boxes. It takes one year to plan each mission. The team usually works with local care providers. They are providing life changing events. If they have supplies left over, they are donated locally. Local Rotary Clubs provide support and translators. Each trip, the team arrives, unpack supplies and set up. They then evaluate the patients. There is typically 5 to 8 days of surgeries. There is usually one day off as a religious day. More information can be found at Rotaplast.org.

 

-Daily $24 won by Howard Jaffe.

-Progressive: $184 (45 cards). Steve Risley drew the 9 of hearts. ROLLOVER!

 

-Greeter & Prayer: Dennis Kratohwil.

-Fun & Frolics: Glenn Garlick.

-Next Week: Peter Garrity – Libertyville Village Board. 

 

-Robin O’Connor (phone) – Fill in for Bingo.

-John Blair (phone) – Fill in for Bingo.

-Elliot Pinsel (missed Sergeant at Arms at Last meeting) – Sang “Take me out to the Ball Game.”

 

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing”. Edmund Burke