President Jim Nelson opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance. Pastor Larry Conway led the group in singing the Star Spangled Banner, accompanied by Mary O. Pastor Conway also provided the invocation.
Vice President Kelly Giovanine introduced our guests. This week’s guests included Jenni Swanson, a potential new member; Katie Le, an exchange student from Vietnam who is working as an intern for the Boys and Girls Club; Terry Westbrook, a regular visitor from the East Moline/Silvis Club, and Jeff Oppenheimer, also from the East Moline/Silvis Club.
There was no news of the day. No worries! Ann Neumann has offered to bring us news of the day beginning next week.
If you volunteered at the Wall of Healing, don’t forget to turn in your hours work so they can be reported.
Jodie Corey-Behrens returned as Sergeant-at-Arms. For someone who “doesn’t know about sports,” she sure has a way of collecting money on sports related issues. You also got tagged if you sat with anyone who had a birthday in July or August.
President Jim Nelson provided a few updates:
Polio – There have been 39 cases year-to-date 2017. Afghanistan – 5; The Congo – 4; Pakistan – 3; and Syria 27. Rotary International asks everyone to give $20 towards polio eradication. This donation also counts towards your Paul Harris.
Membership – August is Rotary membership month. We currently have 99 members and Jim’s goal is to grow to 115 members. He would like to add at least two females and two under forty.
This week’s speaker was Mike Mickle from Mickle Communications. Through their three brands, Mickle Communications, I-80 Productions and the magazine, QC Family Focus, they create marketing content for YouTube and other social media platforms, Documentaries and episodic television productions, and are the region’s largest circulation monthly family magazine.
The presentation focused on Mickle Communication’s documentaries. The first topic tackled was on human trafficking. This was a three year, gut wrenching experience for Mike and his team. They worked with various law enforcement and attorney general offices during their journey. He showed a four-minute clip on human trafficking that set the stage for his presentation.
The documentary is titled Human Trafficking in the Heartland . While it’s not an easy subject to discuss, it’s necessary, and does happen in our area. The documentary has been shown on WQPT and will air again next January.
Mike shared a few facts about human trafficking and gave examples of local situations. The average age of abduction is between 11 and 14 years. Predators will look for someone who is vulnerable. For example, the predator would watch girls at a mall and see that one girl in the group doesn’t totally fit in with the rest. They will approach her and tell her she could be a model and they know someone she should talk to. The next thing you know, she’s missing and being sold for sex. Kids who have run away from abusive situations or group homes are also high risk.
Another example Mike shared was about a girl who had run away from a group home. The predator saw her stealing food at midnight. Again, he approached her and said she could be a model. She was abducted, transported to Chicago and sold for sex.
The last example was a young man who had a drug addiction. He was repeatedly sold for sex by a member of his own family.
Other documentaries suggested by law enforcement have been created as well. They have already produced If You Only Knew: The Journey Through teen Depression and Suicide, which is available on Amazon, iTunes and Google Plus, and are working on Down on the Pharm: a look at Pharmaceutical and Heroin Abuse.
When asked what we can do, Mike’s reply was to keep our eyes and ears open. Predators do not look like criminals and will find a way to get close.
Lastly, Mike mentioned the
Healthy Happy Families Foundation. The foundation was the brainchild of Mike and Karen Mickle through Mickle Communications. The foundation was formed in 2016 as a resource to strengthen families through its fundraising efforts. The Healthy Happy Families Foundation is committed to enhancing community awareness of the dangers and issues facing children and families today.
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Update on Youth Exchange.
