Beamer 9.30.09

PROGRAMS

October 3rd:  Work project.  Fairgrounds building.  8:00 AM rain or shine to dig trench for electrical line.  Bring shovels.

October 7th:  Punderson.  Tom Buckles.  Airplane trip.

October 14th:  Cluster Clambake at the Bond Building at Century Village.  Please see Jodie Swartwout for more info.  Reservations need to received no later than October 5, 2009. 

October 31st:  Doubletree in Independence off of Rockside.  Membership meeting.  Please see Dave Zmek for details.

November 4th:  Club picnic at the Rookery.

December 2nd:  Christmas Party at Pine Lake Trout Club.  Jim Pascoe has said that this party will be a first class "ordeal".

December 23rd:  County Home Christmas Party.

GUESTS

Jim Ebert - potential new member

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Coin toss won by Jim Pascoe.

We need new members.  Jim Pascoe has guaranteed he will add a new member in 6 weeks and asks us to help do the same.

Ralph Hurd is doing well at Burton Healthcare. 

Bob Johnson handed out info on this year's Every Rotarian Every Year campaign.  We are trying for our 6th year in a row of 100% member participation in the program.

Chuck White has handed out 5 truck raffle tickets to sell to each member in attendance.  Please see Chuck if you have not received your tickets yet. 

PROGRAM - Hiram Farm Living and Learning Community.  Roger McKinney.  

Hiram Farm Living and Learning Community was started by Roger McKinney to provide meaningful work and activities to adults with autism.  Having a grown son with autism, there were not many options for his son beyond "sheltered workshops" (which every county has) that provide autistic individuals jobs doing simple, unrewarding tasks.  With these jobs, the focus is on the product and not the process and there is little physical acitvity that most autistic people need.  The farm was started to provide work that is more therapeutic and rewading than the traditional workshops.

The farm is 100% organic and has animals, gardens, crops that are harvested and sold, woodworking, ground maintenance, and it will soon be making high quality organic compost for sale.  The farm is the fourth of its kind in the U.S. and it currently has 8 autistic adults the come everyday from 8AM - 2PM.  The goal is to eventually have 40-50 people benefiting from its services.  A new project will be the construction of a straw bale building that will be used for office and program space.  More information can be found at www.hiramfarm.org.