Newberg Noon Rotary Newsletter for October 10, 2018
~ GREETER ~
Laura Tilrico was today’s GREETER….Thank you Laura!
[Each and every Rotarian can benefit from being the GREETER, as it is a great way to get to know your fellow Rotarians and our guests! Check with Paula or Prez Om to sign up!]
~ Opening of meeting ~
Our always enthusiastic Club President, Om, opened today’s meeting per usual….with contagious excitement! She animatedly told us about the images on the BIG SCREENS…images of the ROTARY activity that had just taken place at the new Aquatic Center...and the unpacking of the many components for the playground equipment. Several Rotarians showed up to follow Jim McM’s orders/instructions per the myriad of packaged items & components. ALSO…on screen…an image…with a person high in a tree…supposedly on a “zip line”…picture too dark to see who it was…SO…Prez Om challenged the membership to contribute to the Duck with a guess as to who that “Mystery Rotarian” was. [*answer under “The Duck”]
~ Pledge ~
Immediate Past President Todd Engle led us in today’s Pledge…Thanks, Todd!
~ Visitors – Guests ~
Guests today were:
Rob & Nancy Lewis from Anvil Academy – guests of Shannon Buckmaster;
Jock Schowalter – guest of Shannon B. & Geoff Gilmore;
Ken Winder – Spike’s guest. [Ken is Rotarian Jan Winder’s husband.]
Robin Baker, President of George Fox University – Newberg Earlybird Rotarian
Welcome all!
~ Today’s Rotary Moment ~
Deborah Cathers – Seymour provided today’s Rotary Moment... She highlighted her experience at the “Interrupting Hate” workshop sponsored by fellow Rotarian Becky Ankeny. The workshop taught how to turn lemons into lemonade in difficult situations in which injustice is perpetrated against someone in public. The underlying assumption is that if we don’t transform our pain we are likely to transmit it to others. Deborah’s impression is that in general she and other Rotarians are fairly skilled at peacemaking and she went to the workshop thinking she probably already knew a lot about the subject. She was surprised and delighted to learn many excellent new skills. She expressed appreciation for the high value Rotarians place on learning and supporting peace-making. Thank you, Deborah.
~ Announcements ~
Next week’s program, the 17th, will be presented by Carlie’s Kindness Campaign
Curious as to what THAT is? Attend YOUR Rotary Club meeting on the 17th at the Cultural Center and find out!
Then the meeting on the 24th will feature our 5100 District Governor, Larry Hatch…..DON’T MISS HIM!
Paula reminded us of Ken Austin, Jr.’s, birthday celebration 7 – 8:30 AM at the Cultural Center on October 25. Ken is a Past President of our club and was a Charter Member of the Earlybirds. Marge had a birthday card for us to sign for Ken.
Reminder: The e-mail link is on the club’s website for volunteer sign-ups for Senior Meals, etc. https://signupschedule.com/noonrotary
Reminder: In District news…Documents/Toone-Portland.pdf#page=1
Learn about Rotary’s world-wide fight to end polio. In the Rose Room at the MODA Center, 1 N. Center Court Street, Portland, OR. October 18. Noon to 1:30. Joan Toone, polio survivor, shares the history of polio and progress toward eradication.
~ The Duck ~
Denise Bacon “extracted” contributions to the DUCK this week…managing to collect generous $$$ contributions from several Rotarians present…for real or perceived “transgressions” and/or accomplishments. *Then….after several way-off-the-mark guesses by others…….the “Mystery Rotarian”… …was….hold your breath a little longer………Beth Pent! Who said that in the picture she was about 30′ up in a tree…and REALLY DID the “zip line” thing and had F U N …doing it! Thanks to Beth for the FUN new opportunity for some of the rest of us to contribute to the Club’s coffers!
Auggie showed up with a decidedly PURPLE…flagrantly-labeled “Huskies” shirt….and paid for the privilege while “taunting” the competing Beaver fans present to also “cough up”….
Your’s Truly, Rick, was called out for making the claim that the Forest Grove Rotary Club is now providing its membership with a newsletter formatted much as ours is…called the “Rotary Rewind”…which popped up within two weeks of sharing our newsletter with the F.G. Club’s Editor… a close personal friend of many years….HEY!…“…imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!…” :-)
~ Today’s Program ~
Rebecca Piros presented our program, addressing the unique emotional/physical/cultural/logistical issues associated with being blind. She was ably “assisted” by her husband, Gene, former Newberg Noon Rotarian, but now new “Friend of Rotary”. Today’s guest speaker was Rebecca Piros, who shared her experience of becoming blind 3 years ago and what it took to relearn everyday tasks and go back to work at Newberg High School. She was hospitalized 3 years ago with a rare fungal meningitis that caused her to lose most of her vision, only seeing blurred shapes and contrasts, no color or facial details or print. Through the aid of the Oregon Commission for the Blind, she learned how to function in daily tasks and computer skills to be able to return for a couple of hours a day to NHS to work in the attendance office.
Attending blind camp at http://hullparkfortheblind.org, she has been able to experience new adventures such as kayaking, white water rafting and rock climbing as well as the company of other blind people. Her message of thankfulness for her family and friends and willing to get on trying and learning shows that life is still worth living even when you need to learn a new normal.
Thank you, Rebecca and Gene, for a very interesting “insight”…if you will…on a challenging subject.
~ Closing of meeting ~
Prez Om closed the meeting with her usual call for all of us to…
~ Be The Inspiration! ~
May your days be guided by Rotary’s “Four Way Test” of the things we think, say or do:
1. Is it the Truth?
2. Is it fair to all concerned?
3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
Rotarian Herbert Taylor – RI President, 1954-1955, introduced The FOUR-WAY TEST to Rotary.
Respectfully submitted,
In Continuing Rotary Service,
Rick Kaufman
Newsletter Editor
[If YOU had a fun/exciting/very interesting trip/adventure you’d like to share with your fellow Rotarians, e-mail me your story and I’ll include it in the newsletter…Rick…at: [email protected]]
