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MEETING NOTES

Posted by Nate Levin-Aspenson on Dec 12, 2018

This week we were treated to a talk from ND Ice Hockey coach Jeff Jackson. Rotarian Jeff Brieler introduced the Coach. A native of east-side Detroit, Coach Jackson didn’t have the grades to go to school at Notre Dame, but came to Notre Dame’s hockey program from an illustrious career in the professional hockey conferences.

It didn’t start there, though. Jeff started his career teaching at his alma mater high school in Detroit, and soon started coaching. He has always viewed coaching as a teaching occupation first and foremost. He shared with us that he enjoys coaching at the university level for the unique opportunity to shape who these young people will become as adults. He is most proud of the 500 hours that his students contribute in volunteer efforts every year.

If you want to see the Notre Dame hockey team in action, there are plenty of upcoming games to look forward to. On New Year’s Eve they will be playing their first outdoor afternoon game at Notre Dame stadium against Boston College. On January 5th, they will be playing (the hated) Michigan at that selfsame stadium.

MEETING NOTES

Posted by Catherine Hostetler on Feb 16, 2017

Gary Hall introduced an angel in our community, Kim Becker, the founder of Hello Gorgeous. Hello Gorgeous is Kim’s mission in life and her dream that evolved from her passion and talents in the salon business. Hello Gorgeous provides a complementary make-over for women struggling with cancer. Kim provides this service to help women who have compromised immune systems to be transformed back into the beautiful women that they are. Hello Gorgeous is a complete spa experience contained in a 1998 Holiday Rambler and 2013 Monaco Coach. The vehicle goes to the person’s home, rolls out the red carpet, provides complimentary flowers, and a makeover ensemble. The Hello Gorgeous Monaco Coach was the last vehicle produced before the company closed and the employees pulled out all stops to make Kim’s dream come true. Hello Gorgeous is a 501C3 and can be contacted at www.hellogorgeous.org if you would like to donate, volunteer, or nominate a loved one, or attend a fund raiser. This year there is a .5K Run with a polish buffet scheduled for August.

MEETING NOTES

Posted by Catherine Hostetler on Feb 09, 2017

President Jackie introduced Professor of Chemistry at St. Mary’s College, Dr. Toni Barsitis, as our program speaker. Dr Barsitis is part of an inter-disciplinary team that developed P.A.D. and was granted the first patent for St. Mary’s College. P.A.D. stands for Paper Analytical Devices. These paper devices were designed and developed to provide screening to qualify the purity of pharmaceutical products. Pharmaceutical purity is a serious global issue; in developed countries compromised pharmaceuticals represent about 15% while in underdeveloped countries compromised pharmaceuticals can represent an astounding 50% to 80%. So there was a need to develop a low cost, quick and accurate screening method to detect counterfeit pills and medications. The P.A.D. protocol was developed by St. Mary’s, Notre Dame Undergraduates and some Trinity students. St. Mary’s owns the patent of P.A.D. and was just awarded a second patent in January for developing an enhancement to P.A.D. utilizing a “vessel” that Dr. Barsitis termed “a glow stick” concept. Notre Dame is working on the licensing and the P.A.D. product is going to be produced by a local start-up company. Dr. Barsitis also related her team’s experience in Nepal and how they used P.A.D. to expose massive irregularities in medications. The P.A.D. team is currently working on applications to test water and air quality, while other features used could include food quality.

MEETING NOTES

Posted by Catherine Hostetler on Jan 18, 2017

David Matthews introduced the Executive Director of the South Bend Symphony, SBSO, Agnieszka Rakhmatullaev as the Club’s program speaker. Agnieszka brought the Club up to date on the structure, programs music, and the new Director search for our regional renowned Symphony. She is happy that SBSO is supported by our major area universities and contributes over one million dollars to our local economy. There is also an Endowment Fund to help offset many of the expenses along with a generous community support. It is very unusual for a regional symphony to have two performing venues; South Bend’s Morris Performing Arts Center for the Symphony and Notre Dame’s DeBartolo Performing Arts Center for the Chamber Series. The SBSO has a core of 71 professional musicians that is augmented by other professionals to perform in over 40 concerts a year ranging from or related to Educational Concerts for elementary students. IUSB and other local community and school choirs are often a strong addition to the symphony programs. In addition members of the SBSO put on free concerts for PreK-12 students and a Donald Dake Academy Annual week long Chamber Music camp for high school students. The members of the SBSO draw from local, regional, and national musicians. The search for the new Music Director has attracted not only national but an international group of candidates. Five candidates have been chosen from the 170 applicants by the Search Committee to compete for the Concert Director’s position. Agnieszka encourages everyone to be a part of the SBSO by being involved at the Board level, becoming a donor, subscriber, or sponsor and/or by attending a performance. She also reminded us that the concerts are rebroadcast again this year on WAUS and WNDU.

MEETING NOTES

Posted by Catherine Hostetler on Jan 11, 2017

Elizabeth Dunn introduced Daryl Heller, Director of IUSB’s Civil Rights Heritage Center Building. Dr. Heller gave a brief history of South Bend's Natatorium and the role it played in racial segregation and the reason why it is an appropriate facility for the Civil Rights Heritage Center [CHRH]. IIUSB took an interest in the “Nat” as a site for its study of Civil Rights movement in Michiana. It is a multi faceted which serves as an extension of the IUSB campus for classes in history, literature, art, music and social justice. It also serves as a museum emphasizing the African Americans, Latin Community, and the LGBTQ Community in Michiana. It is venue for meeting spaces and for free public events. Included in the public events are opportunities for education in order to understand the world, culture to provide new ways of seeing the world and encourages activism to engage the world. Current topics and issues concern the Hate Crime Legislation, the Educational need of South Bend and the relationship of the Community and law enforcement. Through both its campus component and its extension component, the CRHC is committed to Scholarship in Action and unique to an academic center.

MEETING NOTES

Posted by Catherine Hostetler on Jan 04, 2017

Jeff Breiler introduced the principals of the Upper Room Recovery Community as our program speakers. The Upper Room has been housed at the First United Methodist Church since 1984 and is one of the areas most successful recovery programs for men suffering from addiction to drugs and alcohol. Steve Toepp, Public Service Chair, began the program with a video presentation that explained the mission of the Upper Room along with testimonials about their experience with the 12 Step Program and the time to process their sobriety and their relationships. Rev. Mary Hubbard is the Senior Pastor at the Church and is very involved with the Upper Room, both as a spiritual advisor and the board members. She stated she has witnessed lives transformed and families restored because the men have adhered to the standard of he program. Richard Fox, Director of the Upper Room since 2014, reported that the 29 men in recovery have a safe and secure environment to live in. A social and support network are available 24 hours a day plus individuals support services for its residents. To learn more about how Upper Room helps people who truly want to change and move toward more productive and independent lives go to their website; www.upperroomrecovery.org.

MEETING NOTES

Posted by Catherine Hostetler on Dec 28, 2016

Hugh Johnson introduced Pat Maggley, Founder of Heros Camp as our program speaker. Pat gave an inspiring account of his mission in life rescuing boys and teens and nurturing them into young men. Pat used his outstanding basketball talent and his commitment to Biblical Ethics and God to attract and engage these fatherless young people by also providing them with life’s necessities; food, clothing, shoes and whatever they need. He and his wife started this ministry 28 years ago with a handful of boys and parlayed their rich family lives and commitment to this program to save these boys from a life of poverty and/or crime. Last year his wife cooked and served 25,000 meals. Hero’s Camp is now in the process of building a new gym that will also include a cafeteria and dormitory. Pat introduced Heros Camp Executive Director, Patrick, [PJ] Perri, Aaron’s brother, to share his vision and how the Camp is the most effective outreach program is South Bend. Hero’s Camp is a “never give up forever program” that stays with these boys like a father throughout their lives. This was an uplifting program that introduced the Club to the mission of Heros Camp. Pictured L to R are Pat Maggley, PJ Perri, and Bryson Sareen.

MEETING NOTES

Posted by Catherine Hostetler on Dec 14, 2016

John Pinter introduced our District Rotary Youth Exchange Representative, Willow Crisovan, as our program speaker. Willow, a Junior at Adams High School, kicked off her presentation with the selection process of Rotary International for the Exchange Program. This included setting up a blog and keeping a journal of her experiences. Willow was selected to go to Temuco, Chile where she lived with her host family just as her host brother left fot his Rotary Exchange in Pennsylvania. She attended a semi-private high school where the students wore uniforms and the teachers rotated between the classrooms. Willow made many friends both at school and among the other International Rotary Exchange students from Europe and the US. Willow took advantage of the in-country trips and especially enjoyed Easter Island. She also enjoyed visiting Temuco’s malls and markets with her new family and friends. Willow described her experience as a journey in self discovery and maturity with a new appreciation of Rotary both locally and globally. In addition to her fluency in Spanish her year in Chile gave her greater insight and empathy for international visitors. Willow, thank you for being such an outstanding representative for our Club.

CELEBRATE THE MAGIC OF THE SEASON!

There will not be a Bulletin next week as the publisher will be on Holiday.

MEETING NOTES

Posted by Catherine Hostetler on Dec 14, 2016

John Pinter introduced our District Rotary Youth Exchange Representative, Willow Crisovan, as our program speaker. Willow, a Junior at Adams High School, kicked off her presentation with the selection process of Rotary International for the Exchange Program. This included setting up a blog and keeping a journal of her experiences. Willow was selected to go to Temuco, Chile where she lived with her host family just as her host brother left fot his Rotary Exchange in Pennsylvania. She attended a semi-private high school where the students wore uniforms and the teachers rotated between the classrooms. Willow made many friends both at school and among the other International Rotary Exchange students from Europe and the US. Willow took advantage of the in-country trips and especially enjoyed Easter Island. She also enjoyed visiting Temuco’s malls and markets with her new family and friends. Willow described her experience as a journey in self discovery and maturity with a new appreciation of Rotary both locally and globally. In addition to her fluency in Spanish her year in Chile gave her greater insight and empathy for international visitors. Willow was a terrific representative for our Rotary Club, we are most proud of her.

THREE MINUTE TALK

Posted by Catherine Hostetler

Charles Dixon gave his Three Minute Talk. Charlie was sponsored by Debie Coble and is the Vice President of Industrial Services for Goodwill Industries of Michiana. Charlie is a Mishawaka native and graduate of Penn High School. He met his wife Susan in high school and they are the proud parents of an adult daughter and a son and have two grandsons. Charlie has had a varied professional career ranging from being a Pastor to working for the Troyer Group. He enjoys construction and wood working for a hobby. Charlie encouraged everyone to visit and tour his program at Goodwill.

WELCOME CHARLIE!

MEETING NOTES

Posted by Catherine Hostetler on Dec 07, 2016

Past President Amy Hill introduced Lauren Smyth as our Program Speaker .Lauren is the Director of Development for our local Ronald McDonald House Charities. She began her presentation with a video production of testimonials by families that have been served by the current Ronald McDonald rooms located within Memorial Hospital. The rooms are open to all families who have children admitted to Memorial and provide overnight accommodations for up to three families plus food, laundry and shower services free of charge. Once the child is registered the family has address to these services for as long as they are needed. 4,900 families were served in 2015 by the McDonald Rooms which are staffed by volunteers.

With Memorial Children’s Hospital opening up in March 2017 the current Room will expand to a true Ronald McDonald Housed located in the Skyway Building. The new House will have 20 bedrooms with private bathrooms, a kitchen with three work stations in addition to the laundry, children’s play area and private meeting facilities. This set up will allow entire families to be accommodated while their child is being treated. The new facility will be dedicated on Volunteer’s Day 2017 and a public open house the following Saturday to show the impact it will have on our community and beyond. Donations are still needed to make up the $500,000 to complete the project. Details can be found on www.loveshinethrough.org.

MEETING NOTES

Posted by Catherine Hostetler on Nov 30, 2016

Gene Bruce introduced David Stefanic as our program speaker. David is a professor of Russian History and the main thrust of his presentation was how Vladimir Putin’s Russia has inserted itself into the power vacuum created by the current U.S. Administration. The Russians do not respect weakness in anything and once that is detected they will fill the void like they are doing in Syria, South America, and Central America. Dr. Stefanic declared that the United States must be vigilant and wary of the false news or social media which is Putin’s strategy of disinformation used to sway elections in U.S. and Germany. He expressed his concerns that Europe’s dependence on Russian oil and gas could lead to economic blackmail if the E. U. attempts to thwart Russian’s “manifest destiny” of world domination. He cautioned that the U.S. must be cognizant of the composition of the various alliances around the world and to formulate its foreign and military policies accordingly.

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