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ISLAND ISSUE NOVEMBER15, 2025
VOL. 6 NO. 14
EA-WR STUDENTS AYLA & MALACHI
NEWS-NOTES-NONSENSE
On Thursday our speaker was Dickson Wong, WR Parks & Rec supervisor, who joined us to talk about his experience on the Deal or No Deal Island reality show. He really enjoyed his 4+ week on an island off Panama. There were lots of Q's, mostly on behind the scenes stuff. The show is available to stream on the Peacock platform.
Thanks to all who helped make our basketball tournament a great success-"coach" JoeS, day workers and sponsors. Joe indicated that 26 members were involved in some way. There were about 150 roundballers and 500 spectators playing/watching. Things went smoothly. A photo album has been created for the event. It can be accessed via our home page.
Happy Birthday wishes go out to PatB today, LindseyH on the 18th and Prez Mark on the 20th.
Early-birders included AllenH, LoriP, DianeS and Prez Mark.
The Salvation Army bell ringing sign-up list is making the rounds. 6PM-7 and 7PM-8 slots are still open. We ring at the WR WalMart market entrance on December 13th from 10AM-8PM.
Do you still have Chili Dinner ticket money? Get it to BradP ASAP so he can close the books on the event.
The SRI (slide right in) crew included-WendellR, JeremyP, ChrisH and GeorgeM.
Our Turkey Fund now stands at $610. The donation jar will make its final appearance this Thursday. If you want to make a donation via check make it payable to Operation Blessing.
Congrats to BradP on his 35 years of service and DianeS on her 15.
BillP was working the room soliciting help for our Christmas Wonderland event on December 11th. DianeS wants to wield a light wand and SherryT wants to be inside, this much we know. We gather at grandpa's trailer in Rock Spring Park @ 5:30, gates open @ 6. We are on duty until 9. Bill can't guarantee great weather, but he is hopeful.
We had 21 members dining on breakfast for lunch.
Prez Mark is accepting nominations for Prez Elect during the 2026-27 Rotary year ( to serve as club prez during the 2027-28 year). Please consider this opportunity to lead our merry band/herding the cats.
Our Christmas party is scheduled for December 18th @ Rustic Roots. You received an invite this past Thursday. Food service from Food A Fare. Music by the Great River Choral Society.
The post-nooner list included RodneyD, GeorgeM, SherryT and RobinK.
SAA RickH recruited PaulH to serve as the Lugmeister. RobinK, SherryT and JoeS had announcements. We answered 3 out of 5 trivia Q's correctly. The 2025 great pumpkin weighed in at 2,819 pounds. Pay a buck if your business is not on a Route 3 billboard.
GlennB and MarkA were unable to find the joker, RickH found the scratch-off.
Opening duties were covered by JeremyP, ChrisH and MarkA.
Unable to join us on Thursday? BradP recorded the meeting and it can be viewed on our members only Facebook page.
ROD SEZ HEY FROM JERSEYVILLE
THE HARD SELL!
POST-MEETING CHAT
TOURNAMENT MOMENTS
ALL THINGS TRIVIAL
What are stores hoarding lately against looming elimination?
A-Paper bags
B-Pennies
C-Peppermint Patties
D-Fresca
(Find the answer near the end of the newsletter)
Today is National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day
What is the national mammal of the U.S.?
Gray wolf
Brown bear
Bison
Elk
In 2016, congress passed a law naming the bison America’s national mammal. The American bison (also called the American buffalo) once roamed the Great Plains in huge herds. In the 18th century, the bison population numbered more than 60 million but was later ravaged by hunting and disease. Of the smaller population that exists today, South Dakota is home to more bison — both wild and privately owned — than any other state.
FROM OUR ARCHIVES
Sourced from the Eastender News, Make-Up and Banner newsletters
November 2021
GeorgeT pulled two of JohnP's 50-50 tickets. Alas, the $151 jackpot rolled.
We heard a program presented by a representative of ECC Cable Co.
MarkSp reported that the net from our Chili Dinner was north of $2K.
Birthday greetings went out to RobinK, CherylM PatB and BradP.
We were sponsoring a COVID vaccine clinic at the Keasler Rec Center.
Prez Lindsey announced that our Imagination Library program was off to a strong start.
JoeS was trying to salvage the damp b-ball sign-up sheet.
MarkV announced that our Salvation Army bell ringing would take place on December 11th.
The Turkey Fund stood at $469.
PattiA mentioned the holiday fruit sale and the contributions of Dick Bell and Max Emery to its success. The last one took place in 2006.
PHOTOS OF THE WEEK
DATELINE:ROTARY
Unclogging the silos: How Rotary can pioneer a new era of global sanitation
The following essay was provided by Jack Sim, founder of the World Toilet Organization, in advance of World Toilet Day, observed 19 November. Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) is one of Rotary’s areas of focus.
Rotary is a global force for good, a network of passionate individuals united by a common purpose. From eradicating polio to promoting peace, our clubs consistently demonstrate what can be achieved when people of action come together. Yet, in our noble pursuit of making the world a better place, we sometimes miss opportunities to amplify our impact. In the critical focus area of sanitation and hygiene, a lack of cohesive strategy can prevent us from achieving the massive, transformative change we are capable of.
Sanitation is, in essence, the world’s most affordable medicine. By providing access to safe, managed sanitation, we can prevent a cascade of deadly diseases, saving countless lives and improving public health on a global scale.
Diarrhea alone kills more children each year than malaria, measles, and HIV combined. This is a truth Rotarians know well, as evidenced by the countless impactful projects undertaken by individual clubs around the world. However, when each of our 45,000+ clubs operates in a silo, we forfeit a tremendous opportunity for economy of scale and collective intelligence.
The hidden cost of working from this fragmented approach is common and significant:
“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style."-Maya Angelou
"A dog doesn’t try to give advice, or judge you; they just love you for who you are. It’s nice to have someone who will just sit and listen to you."-Charlie Brown (Peanuts)
"There is only one proof of ability-action"-Marie Von Ebner-Eschenbach
"Being President is like being a jackass in a hailstorm. There’s nothing to do but to stand there and take it."-Lyndon Johnson
SMILE
I am in shape.round is a shape.
Talk is cheap because supply exceeds demand.
There will always be death and taxes; However, death doesn't get worse every year.
In just two days tomorrow will be yesterday.
I plan on living forever, so far so good.
Age doesn't always bring wisdom. Sometimes it comes alone.
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THE NUMBERS
In 2024, nearly three out of every four restaurant orders were not eaten in a restaurant.The share of customers using delivery specifically, as opposed to picking up takeout or going to a drive-through, more than doubled from 2019 to 2024-National Restaurant Association
82% of the executives say they personally use generative AI once a week, and 46% now use it daily. In 2023 fewer than 37% said they used it once a week-Wharton and GBK Collective
Meta projected that 10% of its revenue last year (about $16 billion) would come from ads for scams and banned products
2% of Generation Z members hold the values that companies want most in new hires, namely achievement, learning and an unbridled desire to work-NYU Stern School of Business
Buildings 25% or more vacant today account for nearly 80% of vacant U.S. office space, up from about 65% one decade ago-CoStar
Nearly 40% of jewelry thefts in the U.S. are snatch-and-grab jobs by organized crime outfits-National Retail Federation
