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DERBY DAY ISSUE
MAY 1, 2021
VOL. 1 NO. 14
TIME FOR A FIELD TRIP?
NEWS-NOTES-NONSENSE
On Thursday MikeK introduced a very interesting two-part program featuring Ronda Sauget, Executive Director of the Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois (LCSI) and Jaison McCall representing the PC's for People program. The theme of both presentations was providing affordable broadband and computers for everyone in the nine county service territory of the LCSI. Ronda covered several current and proposed programs that would be used to accomplish this. Jaison spoke about his program that receives used computers and after refurbishing, sells/gives away the computers to families that can't afford a new one. One of the broad takeaways of our pandemic experience is the value of having good internet access. BillP offered a suggestion that we may want to consider sponsoring a Madison County collection day for used computers/electronics on behalf of the PC's for People program. Your thoughts? Here's a link to find out more about the program http://www.pcsforpeople.org
We had 25 members in the house on Thursday along with four Zoom roomers.
RobinK encouraged everyone to dial up our social media and word-of-mouth efforts to boost sign-ups for our Virtual Color Run. To date, registration has been meager (fewer than 10). There are still sponsorships available. Here's the info-Get busy!
VirtualColor Run registration is under way. Adults are $30, kids are $25. Sponsorships are available from $100 to $500.The event is scheduled for the June 4-6 weekend. It's time to start promoting this great event Here's the link to sign uphttps://bit.ly/3kOlgrp
Early arrivals included TommieM, DarrenC and AllenH.
MarkA returned from his 125 day Florida R & R break and offered up a "standing-O" for BradP's great work on serving as our Zoom host the past several months. Thanks Brad!
In the past week three of our "supers" have been featured in the local media. There was a nice article in the Telegraph about JohnP's pending retirement and an Advantage story about four local female school superintendents that included EmilyW and DebK. Well played!
The lunch buffet featured sauced pork 'n rice, mixed veggies, salad, rolls, fruit salad and apple crisp.
BillP announced that long time EA Rotarian Red Littleton has suffered a significant stroke. Please keep him in your prayers.
Birthday wishes to PattyW on the 6th.
Opening duties were provided by ChrisH, DaveA and RodneyD
As their mayoral terms come to an end let us take a moment to thank JoeS and CherylM for their years of public service. Best of luck to DarrenC as he takes over the big chair in East Alton.
Thanks to DaveA for his 28 years of Rotary service and SteveD crossing his 26 year milestone.
MarkS and LindseyH recently met with representatives of Madison County Transit to discuss the possibility of sponsoring a bus shelter. Discussions will continue.
JoeS observed that being bad is no reason for getting tossed from a baseball game. Is there a life lesson there?
BillP took the gavel replacing Prez Chris who was at some "undisclosed location" which was widely suspected to be Busch Stadium where he witnessed a 10 inning Cards victory. BillP was envious.
RodneyD was sporting his aloha shirt, perhaps searching for an elusive luau?
Programing note-Every member is responsible for securing a program on their designated date. Our current membership numbers mean that you will need to find a program no more frequently than once every 13 months +/-. Programs are assigned in alphabetical order by surname. Secretary Lori usually sends an email to everyone with upcoming program responsibilities at least a month in advance of your assigned date. If you/your speaker have a conflict with your assigned date please feel free to swap dates with another member. Once your program has been selected, let Lori know so it can be added to the program list that you will find on our web site and in the Eastender News. Our program presenters offer a wide variety of views on a endless array of topics and serve to enrich our member experience. By the way, nothing precludes you from making a presentation on a topic of general interest.
BillP and MarkA worked the crowed with trivia Q's. 4 out of 5 ain't bad.
Post-nooners included PattyA, PaulH, RhondaB and ChrisH.
LoriP still has lots of packs of 10 Baseball Mania tickets available. Each ticket sells for $10. Complete the bottom of each ticket and return with payment to her. We keep 65% of each ticket sold. The contest begins in July and runs 10 weeks. There are 35 weekly winners, from $10 to $250. If you win, look for a check in the mail.
The 50-50 card deck was unavailable but that did not stop JoeS from pulling the ticket of MarkA and ChrisH to claim the $132 jackpot. They are first in line to search for the elusive joker this week.
Freed of tourists by the pandemic, Nepal's one-horned rhinos grew in number. what's a herd called?
A-Republicans in Name Only
B-A crash
C-A stampede
D-A thunder
(Answer can be found at the end of the newsletter)
Today is National Play Outside Day
What is the largest edible fruit indigenous to the U.S.?
Persimmon
Watermelon
Pawpaw
Mayhaw
Although they’re the largest native U.S. fruit, pawpaws are only about six inches long and three inches across (at most). They look and taste like some other tropical fruits, such as mangoes and bananas, but grow in more temperate climates across the U.S., from Florida to New York to Texas and all the way up to Ontario, Canada. Pawpaws are also unusual on the inside. Rather than a soft, juicy flesh that you can bite into, the pawpaw has the consistency of soft custard, so you can slurp it straight from the skin. While the pawpaw hasn’t quite made it to the mainstream thanks to its short shelf life, events like the Ohio Pawpaw Festival celebrate the fruit by including it in treats such as pawpaw ice cream.
Today in History-
1707 – The Act of Union joining England and Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain takes effect.
1786 – In Vienna, Austria, Mozart's opera The Marriage of Figaro is performed for the first time.
1846 – The few remaining Mormons left in Nauvoo, Illinois, formally dedicate the Nauvoo Temple.
1885 – The original Chicago Board of Trade Building opens for business.
1886 – Rallies are held throughout the United States demanding the eight-hour work day, culminating in the Haymarket affair in Chicago, in commemoration of which May 1 is celebrated as International Workers' Day in many countries.
1930 – "Pluto" is officially proposed for the name of the newly discovered dwarf planet Pluto by Vesto Slipher in the Lowell Observatory Observation Circular. The name quickly catches on.
1931 – The Empire State Building is dedicated in New York City.
1945 – World War II: A German newsreader officially announces that Adolf Hitler has "fallen at his command post in the Reich Chancellery fighting to the last breath against Bolshevism and for Germany". The Soviet flag is raised over the Reich Chancellery, by order of Stalin
1956 – The polio vaccine developed by Jonas Salk is made available to the public.
1960 – Cold War: U-2 incident: Francis Gary Powers, in a Lockheed U-2 spyplane, is shot down over the Soviet Union, sparking a diplomatic crisis.
1967 – Elvis Presley and Priscilla Beaulieu are married in Las Vegas..
1971 – Amtrak (the National Railroad Passenger Corporation) takes over operation of U.S. passenger rail service.
1989 – Disney-MGM Studios opens at Walt Disney World near Orlando, Florida, United States.
1999 – The body of British climber George Mallory is found on Mount Everest, 75 years after his disappearance in 1924
FROM THE ARCHIVES
Sourced from the Make-Up and Banner newsletters
Late-May 2017
The WR Paul Harris Fellows were convening @ 11:15 AM.
PaulH made a presentation to the EA club about his recent visit to the Dachau Concentration Camp
MikeK was hosting a fundraising event at the Crackerbox Factory on July 3rd to view the
Alton fireworks display..
BillP covered for Prez Sherry at the EA meeting while she was off to D.C. for "business".
Volunteers were needed for the WR Ice Cream Social event on July 9th.
MarkS returned from his trip to Minnesota with a bunch of "fish tales".
Each club netted $4,025 from the recent Disco Bingo event. GeorgeM pointed out that we had to pay the state a $400 bingo tax.
Late arrivals, including BradP, PattyW, and CoryG, pushed the EA head count to 25.
Kudos to DaveA for acquiring a Rotary sign to be placed outside the meeting place.
EA member Fred Slow bid farewell to fellow members as he headed to New Mexico for the next chapter in his life journey.
DonnaK was doing her vendor due diligence while looking for a new supply of Rotary banners.
LoriP reported that the EA club has a current net of $604 on BaseballMania ticket sales.
PattyA was hawking a variety of Rotary apparel.
MarkA told the EA club that the next Habitat for Humanity project would be on Lincoln Street in East Alton.
TRI-CLUB MEETING 2008
DATELINE:RI
This past Saturday District Governor Elect (DGE) Ryan Byers coordinated the annual District Assembly via Zoom for almost 150 participants. RbE Rotarians participating in the event included ADG RhondaB, RobinK, RodneyD and LeonardB. Participants were allowed to choose which of the nine training sessions they wanted to view in one of the two Zoom rooms. During the opening plenary session DGE Ryan announced three goals he hopes to accomplish during his year as our governor. #1 is called "Each one, bring one" encouraging each current district Rotarian to invite at least one person to join their club. #2 is increasing Rotary days of community service and #3 is empowering girls.
The RI convention will once again be held virtually from June 12-16.
The District Conference is currenly scheduled for November 12 & 13 at the Gateway Center in Collinsville.
(Word has arrived that this event is now a sell out. There will be another game this fall.) This is the 17th year our district has sponsored Family Day at the Ballpark. To date $1/2 million has been raised to support our literacy program. This year will be the Cards-Cubs game on May 22nd @ Busch Stadium, 6:15 start.Tickets are $55. About 1/2 of the 300 tickets have already been purchased. You may purchase your tix by emailing rotaryrod@comcast.net with your request. Make you check payable to Rotary 6460 Foundation.
District Global Grants Coordinator John Gibbons spoke about three projects our district is involved with. 1-computers at a school for the deaf in Jamaica. 2-Building schools in Zambia. 3-A water project in Uganda.
AND I QUOTE
"Marriage is the only adventure open to the cowardly."-Voltaire
"When I hear somebody sigh, "Life is hard," I am tempted to ask, "Compared to what?"-Sydney J Harris
"When in doubt, tell the truth."-Mark Twain
"Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."-Plato
SMILE
Why is it unwise to share your secrets with a clock? Well, time will tell.
When I told my contractor I didn’t want carpeted steps, they gave me a blank stare.
Bono and The Edge walk into a Dublin bar and the bartender says, “Oh no, not U2 again.”
Prison is just one word to you, but for some people, it’s a whole sentence.
I’m trying to organize a hide and seek tournament, but good players are really hard to find.
What do you say to comfort a friend who’s struggling with grammar? There, their, they’re.
I went to the toy store and asked the assistant where the Schwarzenegger dolls are and he replied, “Aisle B, back.”
What did the surgeon say to the patient who insisted on closing up their own incision? Suture self.
I’ve started telling everyone about the benefits of eating dried grapes. It’s all about raisin awareness.
CARPENTER AUNTS
BY THE NUMBERS
Among workers, 72% are somewhat or very confident in their ability to live comfortably in retirement, up from 63% last March and 69% in January 2020. Today’s level is close to the survey’s record of 74% in 1993, three years after the survey began-Employee Benefit Research Institute
In the first quarter this year U.S. startups raised $69 billion from investors-41% more than the previous record set in the fourth quarter of 2018-PitchBook Data Inc.
Toilet-paper sales were down about 14% in February and 33% in March vs the same months in 2020-NielsenIQ
Nearly 60% of small businesses with employees that took out loans used personal guarantees to secure business debt, according to a survey released by the regional Federal Reserve Banks in 2020
As of April 15th Lumber prices are up 44% this year, after more than doubling in price in 2020.
44% of small businesses reported temporary shortages or other supply-chain problems in March-Vistage Worldwide Inc.
