Greetings, fellow Rotarians. Are you hanging in there? As California's Governor Newsom said this week, "We cannot allow cabin fever" to get to us, because "we're not out of the woods." Got that? He's an anti-log cabin kind of guy. But enough about the west-coaster; it was actually something our own governor said this week that caught my attention.
I'm sure many of you who celebrate Passover are already familiar with "Dayenu," a two-thousand year old song about being grateful to God for the gifts he gave the Jewish people. Governor Polis (who I did NOT know was this state's first Jewish governor) shared yesterday that "dayenu" means "it would have been sufficient." As I understand it, that means that each of the blessings in our life: the health of our families, the fellowship with our friends, the opportunity to engage in productive work, would have been sufficient unto themselves. When you add up (or multiply) each blessing, the only rational response to the absolute abundance in our lives is gratitude. I am grateful to be your friend. I am grateful for service opportunities. I am grateful for happy hour on Zoom. I am grateful that we can meet online together. Dayenu.
Some announcements:
1) This Friday's meeting will be a joint meeting with the Redlands Rotary Club of Grand Junction, led by President Whittney Smythe-Smith. Whittney will give our words of inspiration, and one of the Redlands Rotarians will lead us through the Pledge of Allegiance. Redlands also meets on Fridays at noon, so we thought we could all use the opportunity the quarantine provides to meet together on Zoom. Rodney tells me we will be joined by Johrita Solari, the Rotary International Director for our Zone and a truly impressive woman. She's who I would want to be when I grow up if I had a couple of lifetimes to achieve it. In honor of the joint meeting and Trevor's presentation on Cuba, the dress for this meeting will either be "Cuban Nights" or "wear your best face mask." Your choice.
2) Our District is offering a $500 matching grant to each club who comes up with a service project of some kind in response to COVID-19. If you are interested in brainstorming ideas for what our club could do in tis community with $1,000 (presumably at least $500 from the Club and a matching $500 from the District), please contact me or Sam Chapman ASAP. The area Presidents and PEs are meeting next Thursday to discuss what ideas our individual clubs have and whether we can be more effective if we team up with other Pikes Peak Area Rotary Clubs.
3) Please continue to report what you're doing for #ServiceFromHome to your SGLs. In the words of our own Bill Kettles this week, we need to straighten up and press on in times of trouble. There's still so much we have to offer those around us, even when they aren't, you know, around us.
4) At the same time, please respect your bandwidth. We are all under an unusual amount of stress, and some much more so than others. Sometimes it's difficult to maintain focus. For me, I find that tears are closer to the surface than they might normally be. Have compassion for yourself and give your body what it needs, whether that be sleep, exercise, or a walk around the block. Now is not the time to overcommit unless you MUST. (I hear you out there, other full-time working, full-time homeschooling parents and grandparents).
5) I am so pleased to report that the Butterfly Gang led by Scott Feller have rescued the quarantined butterfly and dragonfly forms. Flight 2020 is pressing ahead and still pretty much on schedule. You should all be so proud of the Flight Committee and their work.
6) Sam and I are working on one HECK of a service opportunity/party for June 9th when we're all back. Please reserve that evening now. She and her committee have decided to leave service opportunities for May TBD in order to address the current challenges. The community service committee will meet by Zoom the third Friday of this month (so a week from tomorrow) at 11:15 a.m., before the main meeting.
7) I challenge each of you to "bring" a guest to our meeting tomorrow. Don't invite Zoom bombers or pornographers. But DO invite anyone with a heart for service who may need the uplifting of spirits that only focusing on service above self can provide.
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.
