Rotary Recap 9.25.2013

 
President-Elect Julie Baalmann led the meeting today in Detroit Shelley's absence. Senator Pat Apple was our program, complete with visual aids. It is his 9th year in the Kansas Senate and he is currently serving on the Utilities Committee.
 
There is a bit of travel involved so he can be educated when faced with challenging decisions. He traveled to Houston, TX for a natural gas seminar to learn more about ways that our own supply could have a positive impact on the United States economy. We actually live over a natural gas reserve, which eliminates transportation costs. As the value of our dollar decreases, we could face lower energy costs and the US just might be a place to invest.
 
He also traveled to Carlsbad, NM to a salt mine 2K feet thick across the middle. The salt creates caverns where low level nuclear waste is stored and secured, the salt compressing it over time and encapsulating radioactive materials. Currently there is no place for high levels of nuclear waste.
 
Pat is earning 30 hours of class time in discussions regarding the pros and cons of the Keystone Pipeline. He is also involved in the study and audit of the Universal Service Fund. Kansas currently has the 3rd largest fund, behind Texas and California. They are finding ways to significantly reduce expenditures, part of which involved the elimination of Kan-Ed, a program that was not being used effectively.
 
When the Senate is back in session the 2nd Monday in January, school finance will be the hot topic. The last hearing took place in October.
 
The 9th Annual Apple BBQ will take place on Sunday, September 29th from 5-7 with musical entertainment from our very own Damon Dennis and members of the Juarez Family who were honored as the Chamber of Commerce Citizens of the Year in 2012.
 
In Other News:
Craig was back to retrieve Happy Do$$ars.
  • George will leave on October 30th with his 90-year-old father on the Honor Flight. His dad was in the Marine Corps
  • Sandy is, in fact, qualified to pray
  • Doug Furnell shared his self-proclaimed inappropriate humor
  • And since Craig is up for review Mustang Sally paid up in advance of her trip to Colorado
Doug Furnell took over for Raymond as the Assistant District Governor for the Rotary Clubs of Paola, Spring Hill and Osawatomie.
 
Collyn reminded us of the current sales at Price Chopper on canned goods and Hamburger Helper that are in perfect timing with our food drive for the AGAPE Food Pantry. Thank you to Sharon for donating a bag of goods and for the many Rotarians who gave cash today so that Collyn can use his negotiated discount to get the most for our money. The food drive will last through next Wednesday, October 2.