Can it be that it is nearly end of July already? How fleeting the Summer seems to be, though we secretly hope it will last forever! We are one month into the New Rotary Year, and President Tom is working diligently to “keep us connected”! Though Summer means “vacation time”, we still were 26 members in attendance at today’s meeting, along with five guests. With our Club Membership continuing to expand, we appreciate being able to hold the meetings in the large dining room of The Redwood every week!
After enjoying the opportunity to chat with fellow Rotarians and guests, we were summoned by Pres. Tom to join him in saying The Pledge. John French chose the perfect key to lead us in song, which was The Star-Spangled Banner. Tom asked Warren to give The Blessing, and he thanked God for always giving us the opportunity to serve others within our boundaries, and beyond. Our honored guests today were 2019-2020 District Governor, David Hannan, and his lovely wife, Pam, along with Mark, Kate, and Alvaro.
There were some items from The Mailbag, and Communication Department.
- Thank You Notes from Hannah Steff and Nick Clearman, respectively, extending their appreciation for the (Rotary) Scholarships they each received last month at Graduation.
- Pres. Tom has urged us all to go to the New Rotary Website. It is an excellent way to glean information, to keep informed, and to keep connected!
Upon the large screen, was an array of colorful photos from last week’s Silent Auction for the Walk of Life. It seems to have been very successful in raising funds for this worthy cause!
Tom gave a brief sketch of the Club Calendar, (programs and events), over the next few weeks.
Recently, Tom presented his program, “I’m not dead yet!” to the Bath Rotary Club. In an effort to become more connected, there will be a joint meeting of area Rotary Clubs, including Naples and Bath, on October 15th. It will be held at Hunt Hollow, with a menu priced at $12.00 each. There will be a cash bar, courtesy of Arbor Hill and Brew and Brats. (There will be no Club Meeting on October 14th.)
DG Dave Hannan was our guest presenter today, and we were honored to have him join us for fellowship, including his wife, Pam. To say that Dave’s message to us was inspirational is an understatement! In listening to him speak, we could understand his passion for Rotary being involved in the health and well-being of the world.
Dave, a retired physician, joined Rotary in 1986. Flanked by two brilliant banners, he explained the meaning of this year’s theme, “Rotary Connects The World”. The logo represents hands joined around the world, and is it not the goal of Rotary to reach out to others both locally and globally? Dave posed the question, “What is our presence in the world?” He began to answer that question by stating that Rotary Clubs can start by first connecting to their communities.
Noting that Rotary Membership is facing a challenge in North America, Dave talked about the possibility of “Satellite Clubs” which can be under the umbrella of “Parent Clubs”. Just 8 members are required to form such a club, and there is flexibility within. Dave said that this possibility presents an opportunity, and that it could be discussed at a Board Meeting.
“To unite, and to take action” encompasses the vision statement of Rotary, and there are ways to fulfill this mission. We can find projects to do that make us visible, we can attract new members, and we can do good in the world through The Foundation.
The long-term aim of eradicating polio throughout the world has been a main goal of Rotary, and it seems to be a personal objective for DG Dave as well. There has been a cluster of cases in Afghanistan and Pakistan, but “We are this close”! The new motto is “Drop to zero!” Dave urges us to be patient in hopes of seeing this motto come to fruition, and he thanked us for our participation in Polio Plus.
Afterwards, there was an exchange of checks. A check for Education and Literacy was presented to Pres. Tom by DG Dave, and in turn, Tom gave Dave a check for $300 towards Polio Plus.
Our Rotary Exchange Student, Alvaro, is leaving us soon to return to his native Spain. He has been to many meetings, and we have all become quite fond of him as the year has progressed. Tom asked Alvaro to step up to the mic, and to say a few words about his experience. He began by expressing his thanks to his families and friends for having spent a wonderful year in Naples. Alvaro’s host families were The Punnetts, The Almekinders, and The Logans. Pres. Tom gave him a check for $100 to use as he embarks for Spain. We will miss Alvaro, we hope he will keep in touch, and we wish him all the best as he continues his education!
At this juncture in the meeting, it was time for Fines and Happy Bills. Penny and Carrie each paid a fine for having missed meetings. Bruce is looking forward to Camp O. John F. is looking forward to the Walk of Life. Many Happy Bills were given in appreciation of DG Dave’s talk, Alvaro, Polio Plus, and the work of Mike, Jodi, and Sherry, and many others who helped to make the WOL Silent Auction go so well.
Today’s 50-50: the ticket of John F., #3457, was drawn. John picked the Nine of Diamonds.
Today’s Win-Win: Pres. Tom had pictures of old houses throughout the Naples Area reflected on the screen. He showed us a picture of the oldest house on the Lake. It was Glen Cottage, and he had actually lived there for a time! We had to guess its date! It was built in 1802!
Today’s Rotary Moment: After last week’s meeting, poor Nancy was a bit frantic, as she had lost her Paul Harris pin, which had been her husband, Bob’s. Some of us helped her to search for it, and the backing was found. Would you believe, when I got home, I felt something on the sole of my shoe. I looked, and there was Nancy’s PH Pin! So glad it’s not lost, Nancy, we know it means a great deal to you!
