Highlights of October 6 Meeting

 

 

President Pam asked Ted Williams to offer the invocation, following which Shelly Romine led the Pledge of Allegiance.  Pam thanked Steve Ross and Jack Rosenberg for serving as greeters making everyone feel welcome as they arrived for the meeting.

 

 

PDG Jim suggested members read the information in the October Rotary Magazine about polio.  There have been 27 cases of wild polio virus confirmed so far this year.  The WPV continues to be found in environmental samples in Pakistan and Afghanistan. It is rumored, but difficult to confirm, that parents who fear the immunizations will paint their child's pinkie purple to make it appear they have been vaccinated when they actually have not.  Two police officers who were guarding the safe transport of vaccine were shot and killed.

 

When annual donations to Polio Plus in Rotary equal or exceed $50,000,000, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will match those dollars two for one.  Donations were a little short last year to qualify for that match, but Rotary was able to come up with the difference and the match has again been assured.

 

We had a case of polio this year in New York State.  The individual was an unvaccinated person.  We have a ways to go in educating the general public about the importance of vaccinations.

 

The final result needs to be nothing less than eradicating the second disease from the planet.  The first virus to be officially be declared to be eradicated was smallpox in 1980.

 

There is promise in new vaccine being tested which is hoped to eliminate the risk of vaccine-derived polio cases.

 

 

 

 

 

President Pam asked PDG Jim (aka Mr. Fun) to don a special had in recognition of National Mad Hatter Day.

 

After having his photo taken wearing the hat, it was passed around the room for the purpose of gathering donations and pledges to support Rotary's efforts to continue to be a leading partner in the world's efforts to eradicate polio.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dick asked one of our visiting Interact officers to draw the winning raffle ticket.  The ticket was held by Shelly Romine, making her the automatic winner of the small pot of $25.  After shuffling the cards, rather than drawing the Ace of Clubs which would have made her the winner of the large pot of $247, she instead drew the Ace of Spades.

 

 

 

John Pennypacker explained that when individuals have donated $1,000 to The Rotary Foundation - or someone has donated that much on their behalf, they are recognized as Paul Harris Fellows.  For each additional $1,000 donated in their name they receive additional Paul Harris Fellow recognition.  Donations accumulate for this recognition whether made to the Annual Fund or to Polio Plus.  He invited Steve Ross to come forward to be recognized.

 

Steve was presented with his Paul Harris Fellow plus five pin, indicating that a total of $6,000 or more has been given to The Rotary Foundation in Steve's name.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ed Koeneman introduced our Honorary Member and Interact Faculty Advisor at Westwood High School as someone who grew up in Mesa, went to Westwood High School and on to Arizona State University.  Daniel has been on the faculty at Westwood since 2013.  He does several different things at Westwood including managing the Working Warriors Program (Warriors is the Westwood HS Mascott).

 

In a very practical learning environment, students are exposed to some logistical challenges of handling and documenting incoming inventory which is received as donations from Amazon Distribution Centers.  Amazon donates products they can no longer sell, most are new and all are still usable.

 

The donations come in on pallets.  They have to be sorted and organized, repacked and distributed with several steps in between.  It definitely creates a simulated work environment.  It is like a mini-warehouse.  The items that are re-packed for distribution go back into the boxes that were emptied.  They have absolutely no control over what products will arrive or when they will receive them. 

 

The goods are sorted into various categories, such as:

The program continues with volunteers during the summer when school is not in session.  Many of the students enjoy it enough they are glad to volunteer.  During that period, non-profits are the primary beneficiaries.

 

The program has a positive impact on the community as they try to keep those benefitting from the distributions local.  

 

Daniel enjoys the opportunity to make this practical learning environment part of the school curriculum.  It is fun and practical - very different than normal classroom environments.  Students can readily apply what they are learning and see why it matters.  They also have the opportunity to see how what they are learning in more traditional classroom environments can be applied to their receiving, sorting, and distribution activities.

 

The end goal is to find employment partnerships so the students can move into jobs in the community as a result of their practical knowledge and experience.  The students have enhanced reasons to connect with and work with each other and see how their actions impact each other, their school, and their community.  They become role models and leaders because of the team-based environment.

 

CLICK HERE to see the slides Daniel shared during his presentation.