Today was President Matt’s first meeting, and as we have come to expect, (knowing Our Matt), it was run in a most efficient and enjoyable manner! After welcoming us to the first (Zoom) Meeting of the New Rotary Year, Pres. Matt gave a brief summary of today’s agenda. Today’s program included two special aspects. First, we would hear from Dr. Sim Covington from FLCC, and then we would induct our newest members, Holly and Tony Deusenbery, into the Naples Rotary. There were 24 members in attendance, (including two inductees), and we welcomed two guests, Sharon, and Dr. Sim Covington, today’s program presenter.
We joined from our respective abodes in saying The Pledge. (There was no song at this point, but Jack would have one later.) Alex gave The Invocation. She thanked the Heavenly Father for the many blessings He has bestowed upon us…the strength and unity of our club, the beauty of our hills and valleys, and the health and safety of all.
Matt introduced Dr. Covington, who “visited” us audibly only because of some “Spectrum” maintenance, but he provided a most interesting Power Point via Matt to accompany his talk. Dr. C., who has an incredible professional background, is a member of the Canandaigua Rotary Club. He received his Doctoral Training at Northeastern University, in Boston, and he is currently the Chief Diversity Officer at FLCC. In this capacity, he also works in conjunction with a variety of community partners. Today’s Program was entitled “Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity.” In light of recent occurrences throughout Our Nation, it couldn’t have been a more timely theme. For clarification purposes, Dr. C. reviewed the meaning of each of these terms. Diversity means having to do with variety. Equity involves justice and fairness, while Inclusion refers to valued input. Of course, these concepts focus on human relationships, and our personal identity stems from the messages that we receive in life. These messages are triggered by our family, our social circle, and the media. “We see life through the lenses of our experiences,” noted Dr. C.
He talked about various “Isms” that, in terms of social justice, are related to less than favorable feelings that are directed at those with less power, or social influence. An “Implicit Bias” is a positive or negative feeling that one may hold at the unconscious level. Many factors can influence how one feels about another at this level. There has been a “National Climate” of (historic) events that has led to various “notions” towards others, and groups.
There was also a listing, (provided), that highlighted many Individual and Organizational Initiatives that, when followed, could bring about a more favorable relationship between ourselves and others. Dr. C. noted that, in light of our recent BLM Event, Naples seems to be making steps in the right direction! A question and answer period followed his talk, and Penny, Blanche, and Marty posed some valuable inquiries that led to an excellent discussion. We were pleased to hear from Dr. Covington, as we are reminded of The Golden Rule, and to treat everyone with kindness, sincerity, and respect.
The July Birthdays and Anniversaries were announced by Pres. Matt. Alex and Tina have birthdays this month, and Summer Anniversaries are being celebrated by John and Sherry, Jodi and Mark, Joan and Jim, and Jack and Sharon. It was at this time that we enjoyed the melodious voice of Jack, as he sang a congratulatory song to each of these folks.
The second important part of today’s meeting was the Induction of Naples Rotary’s newest members, Holly and Tony Deusenbery. Each member of the Induction Team, Pres. Matt, Patrice, Skip, Karen, Nancy, Jack, Bo, and Judy each read his/her script, and we virtually welcomed these fine people into NRC! Holly and Tony have been supporters of the Naples Community in many ways. They had been very instrumental in the development of the Naples Community Park, which has brought enjoyment to many. They are starting their 7th season as the owners of Reservoir Creek, and their friendly smiles, and pleasant personalities make everyone feel welcome! Holly and Tony desired to be of service to others in added ways, thus, they saw Rotary as the “perfect fit”. We see them as “the perfect fit” to our club, as well! Welcome to you both!
What’s Happening? Matt reminded us that our dues for the first half of the year are due if we haven’t already paid. Skip noted that there will be a Rotary Chicken Barbecue this Saturday, 7/11, so, come one, come all! It will be set up near Crosby’s. John and Sherry gave an update on the Walk of Life. On 7/16, the Singers and Songwriters Event will be at Brew and Brats from 6-9 PM. Come, support the WOL, and enjoy music from Mike J. and Bruce M.! Matt noted that he had received an E-mail from Donna regarding the Grape Fest. It has not been determined yet if we will hold the GF. Matt has put out a survey to acquire feedback as to whether members would be willing to participate in a scaled-down version of the GF. Two other items, meeting involvement and in-person meetings were on the survey as well. Our response to this survey is important in determining the direction NRC will take in the next few months.
Happy Bills and Fines: There were a variety of wonderful reasons why a great deal of HB came forth today! 1. We are happy to have Matt on board as our President for 2020-2021. 2. We appreciated all that PP Tom did for the NRC, and we were glad to see him “relaxing” a bit! 3. We enjoyed the program. 4. We are pleased to welcome Holly and Tony to the club. 5. Music has started up again at Brew and Brats! Nancy’s Granddaughter, Mary Kathyrn, helped her out, and Karen’s Baby Grandson is one month old! Sharon was wearing her PH Pin!
Rotary Moment: In light of today’s presentation, Carrie ended our meeting with the perfect Rotary Moment! After congratulating Pres. Matt, she reminded us all how important it was to think of the four questions in The Four-Way Test. If we remind ourselves to always try to follow this motto, we shall then be in true service to one another. Stay safe and stay cool, everyone! See you at our July 13th Zoom Meeting!
