President David Eardley opened the virtual meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance, then we recited the Four Way Test. Lunch was served.

 

Bob Lytle gave the invocation to our club today.

 

There were 43 Rotarians present, and 9 guests, Emily Dumas, Lynda Ludy, Cindy Purdy, Jeannine Moreland, Mary Sloan, Sandra Lockewood, Vi Landry, Kim Staudacher, and Mary Grace McCarter.

President David announced to the club Tim Crawford. Congratulations Tim! 

 

Our club had so much to be happy about this week:

 

Tim Duncan is happy for the experience he and his family shared raising a leader dog and preparing it for its life’s work.

 

Ron Lichtle is happy about his successful weekend celebration full of dozens of friends enjoying the fresh air under the tent and comradery around the bonfire.

 

Mary Sloan is excited for the upcoming Clarkston Rotary Wine Tasting.

 

Vito Pampalona gave a $50 happy buck in celebration of his 48^th wedding anniversary.

 

Stuart Siegner gave a $25 happy buck in celebration of his 25^th wedding anniversary.

 

Ted Roumell gave a happy buck for his 60^th wedding anniversary. Obviously our club is full of September love.

 

Tim Crawford is happy about another enjoyable Tiger’s game and for the addition of Dorene Cuda their new group health specialist at the office.

 

Renee Cortright is happy about the OPC’s successful Octoberfest celebration.

 

Dave Archbold is happy the strike is over at Oakland University.

 

John Somerville is happy to announce the birth of his sweet daughter Savannah June.

 

 

Ethan Hoffman will be holding onto the Rotarian of the Week award for another week.

 

October 23, 2021 is the park clean up for Rotary Park. Make sure to sign up to ensure your assistance.

 

As President of the Charities Board, Ron Diliddo presented Ron Lichtle with a check for $5,000 as the winner of this year’s Golf Ball Drop.

 

George Krozier announced that the Shred It For Polio Event will be held October 18^th between 9 and 12 in the Bordine’s parking lot. Please sign up if you would like to volunteer on the pickup service.

 

President David Eardley gave us an update from September’s Board Meeting. The Board approved Kim Staudacher as a new member. The Board approved Wayne Hodges’ request for leave of absence. The Board approved Tom Neveau’s return to the club. The Bylaw committee reviewed their progress and will present the proposed bylaws on October 20^th. November 16^th will be our last meeting at Rivercrest. November 23^rd we will begin meeting at Rochester Community house. The board approved Jim Kennedy as an honorary member.

 

Tim Duncan held a vote on which location the Christmas Party would be held. The choices were between Great Oaks and Royal Park. Royal Park won the vote.

 

Tim Crawford announced that Dick Gorges is in the ICU with Covid and to keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

 

Our next meeting will be held at Innovation Hills Park on September 28^th at noon.

 

 

We had 3 member birthdays this week, Mark Tisdel September 21^st, Vito Pianello September 22^nd, and Brad Upton September 24^th.  . Happy Birthday Rotarians!!

  

David Blair used our movie matches to fine us raising money for our charities.  In case you forgot to pay your fines (or wish to give more), please click anywhere on this text and scroll to the bottom of the page, or type in the following link into any browser: 

 

 

 

Linda Eastman gave a wonderful presentation on Casa Colibri in honor of Literacy Month.

Readers to Literacy is a Casa Colibri project in Northwest Guatemala. The leaders believe that the best projects are the ones identified by the people who are experiencing the issues. With that in mind it was their goal to work together with local educators to help tackle those issues. It was noted by one such educator that children were quitting school after 6^th grade. There is an imbalance in the education provided at the different elementary schools. This created an environment where kids were fundamentally behind when they reached middle school causing them to quit school altogether.

From the collaboration came the Readers to Leaders club, an after school club that concentrated on putting the fun in the fundamentals of reading like fluency and comprehension. The children loved it making the program wildly successful. In its first run there was not a single absence and the attendance remains to be up to almost perfect numbers. Since the original club, Readers to Leaders has been expanded to other villages. The children are so excited to read that they asked for a sleepover for the chance to read even longer.

The curriculum includes hands on activities that furthers the importance of reading’s effect on everyday life. While reading Jack and the Beanstalk, the students planted radishes connecting reading to life and to serious nutritional needs. Little free libraries have been gifted to several villages so the children could continue to read new material as they were dying of book hunger.

Covid presented a deeper book hunger as the quarantine halted all forms of education for 2 years. Now more than ever the little free libraries are resuscitating the students’ need for reading.

“The future depends on what we do in the present. Be the change you want to see in the world.”

 

 

Yes, this is a challenging time.  But, we are Rotarians, we will rise to the challenge, and our resilience and power of adaptation will prevail over this.  Thanks everyone, have a great week.