On March 31, I read the following: "Can you believe that Pete Buttigieg dropped out of the presidential primary race in the same month we are still in?" I laughed. I shuddered. March 2020 was so long that when Hollywood makes movies out of it (plural, for there will have to be two installments, just like the last Harry Potter book), Part I will end with a note of dread on Friday the 13th. It's such a strange time that I can't imagine any meeting NOT beginning with a quick emotional health check-in. And yet...
It's now April, which means that we turn our attention to Maternal and Child Health. Over the course of this month, we will talk about Rotary's mission in this area of focus, but I want to start close to home with our own health. We have all become (at least a little bit) hypochondriacs, flinching at every sneeze or cough, and checking our own temperatures on the regular. Most of us obsessively wash our hands throughout the day... AS WE SHOULD. But do we pay enough attention to our mental health? How can we lift our collective spirits?
Rotarians, we are living through a painful but still beautiful time. Creative people are sitting at home with nothing to do but pump out endless hours of memes, parodies, self-deprecating humor, and beautiful music. Love is all around; truly, it is. And humor is everywhere! And it is so important.
Science tells us that humor helps our psychological and physical selves. It helps us deal with pain and adversity. It reduces stress. It can help us process grief in a constructive way. A hearty laugh can benefit your circulation, lungs, and belly muscles. (And who doesn't need a little help with the belly muscles right now? Have you eaten ALL of your quarantine snacks yet?)
Here's what I'd like to do to put a focus on mental health and humor this week:
1) Let's all wear our hair as curly as possible for Dr. Kidd's return to the club tomorrow. You'd think this was my idea, given how curly my hair is already, but the credit actually goes to another Rotarian, Kathleen Saltmarsh-Voss. Expect to see Ron Rubin in a series of curly wigs...
2) I'd like to feature a COVID-19 parody song/video on our FaceBook once a day for a week, starting tomorrow at the meeting. If you have any suggestions for your favorite Coronavirus parody song, please send 'em my way.
3) Please share one funny meme with your small group, even if you haven't been in touch for a while. Let's lift each other's spirits with humor.
4) Send me any other ideas you have for what should follow the parody videos, and let's keep the party going.
Please invite your friends to attend the meeting tomorrow. Remember that we want you there, whether you are on leave, out of state, or even a former Rotarian (she says, specifically for the people to whom she will forward this missive). It's fun, and it's free. It's BYOB and BYOD. Oh, and I learned something this week: If you all put your audio on mute, you can hold down the space bar when you want to talk... sort of like a walkie talkie. Neat!
Trevor, a member of our club, took a very interesting trip to Cuba and would like to share some of his insights from that trip.
Background:
Trevor is Founder and CEO of Amnet, since 1988 (22 years). He first got involved with computers at the age of 10 when he took a BASIC programming class. He actually started his company while working at Best Buy back in the days of Windows 95. Today, Amnet serves the IT and cybersecurity needs of companies with 20-400 employees from Fort Collins to Trinidad.
Trevor understands the importance of "culture" in an organization and he says that either you intentionally create a culture or it can evolve on its own, sometimes not to your liking. I have heard him speak about this in the past (Ron Rubin) and he has published articles about this, as well.
He is involved politically in our county and in many other organizations for which he shares a passion. Trevor was selected as one of Colorado's most influential young professionals by Colorado Biz Magazine in their October, 2010 issue. He was also selected as Young Entrepreneur of the Year by the Colorado Springs Business Journal in 2008, and Small Businessperson of the Year by the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce in 2004.
Here are some of the great suggestions for service I've received from our Small Group Leaders:
1) Thank you cards, sent to those in the medical field who are fighting the virus on the frontlines. They could use our support and encouragement;
2) Buy gift cards from a local bar or restaurant to support local business. If you don't need the gift card yourself, donate it to someone who is out of a job because of the quarantine or to someone unexpectedly on the front lines (e.g. a checker at a grocery store). The club will be looking into ways we can show our furloughed servers at the Antlers our love and appreciation;
3) Folks are going for walks with their families. You can decorate your driveway or sidewalk with messages of encouragement with sidewalk chalk. Some neighborhoods are participating in a "bear hunt" where residents put Teddy bears in windows for passers-by to "find;"
4) We will collectively continue to pick up and deliver groceries or pharmacy items for any Rotarians who are housebound, but we can extend that offer to others in our neighborhood who may be too elderly to safely leave home right now;
5) If we are out and about on walks or in parks (and responsible maintaining a social distance, of course), we can pick up trash (with gloves and a claw... NOT with our bare hands);
6) We can clean out our closets and put aside items to donate when the quarantine lifts;
7) We can donate to a local food bank (like Care and Share) or blood bank;
8) Sew face masks. I understand Joann's is donating supplies to those willing to sew face masks for donation. Also, our local health providers don't need the homemade masks at this time, but they would make a good gift for Rotarians or neighbors who need to leave home.
Rotary expands access to quality medical care, sanitation, education and economic opportunities so mothers and their children can live and grow stronger.
We expand access to quality care, so mothers and children everywhere can have the same opportunities for a healthy future. An estimated 5.9 million children under the age of five die each year because of malnutrition, inadequate health care, and poor sanitation — all of which can be prevented.
Rotary provides education, immunizations, birth kits, and mobile health clinics. Women are taught how to prevent mother-to-infant HIV transmission, how to breast-feed, and how to protect themselves and their children from disease.
A few weeks ago, Rotarian Martin Cook gave a talk about his experience teaching at Ashesi University in the West African country of Ghana. He in particular stressed Ashesi’s very innovative approach to education and its vision of “educating ethical, entrepreneurial leaders for Africa.” The university’s website is www.ashesi.edu.gh
In 2017, the founder and president of Ashesi, Mr. Patrick Awuah, won the prestigious World Innovation in Education Summit (WISE Prize) and the university was awarded $500,000 from this prize. Awuah’s acceptance speech eloquently articulated his vision for the university and for the future of Africa. That speech can be located here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gohmI3s1C9g
Martin also mentioned that a number of Rotarians expressed some interest in joining the Ashesi Foundation’s annual trip to Ashesi. Besides seeing the University in depth, the trip includes some other features such as the sobering tour of the Slave Forts at Cape Coast. The details of the trip can be found here: https://www.ashesi.org/get-involved/annual-trip/ Martin asks that if any of you are seriously considering going to Ghana in October, you let him know and the will coordinate with the Ashesi University Foundation in Seattle. You can contact him at martinleocook@gmail.com if you are interested or considering the trip.
Thank you for your patience as we navigate through community changes due to COVID-19. We will reconvene with a potential committee meeting in April, if possible. The Jared Box Project scheduled to take place on April 7th has been postponed for a later date to be determined for either May or June. Thank you for your understanding.
