Picture above are Irene O'Brien (president of the Satellite Club), Sigur Whitaker (Assistant Governor), District Governor Clenise Platt, Jim Kitz (President-Elect), club president Lorna Cochrane, and Michael Desplaines (Vice President of Programs)
The Program:
We were honored to welcome District 7600 Governor Clenise Platt at our meeting. Clenise started out by being rejected as a member. However, it is because she was selected for the Group Study Exchange in Kent County England. From there she became a member of Rotary and moved up quickly through various Rotary Chairs, both in her Club and for the District and finally culminating as District Governor. She started her presentation talking about connections, her goals for her term and happenings in the District.
The heart of Rotary is the clubs - it’s the meetings, the programs and where we connect with our community. Next we are a part of District 7600 which is comprised of 64 clubs in 18 areas. The District provides resources, grants, training and opportunities. The Districts are in Zones and we are Zone 33. Each Zone has a representative that sits on the Rotary International board. And finally, we are all apart of Rotary International—35,000 clubs in 200+ countries comprising over 1.2 million Rotarians.
Clenise went on to talk about what she wants to happen in her term as Governor:
- Grow Rotary– We are a community service organization. If we show people what we do in the community and they will want to join us in making our world better.
- Foster a culture where Rotary doesn’t compete with the family, but complements it.
- Make space for new leaders in our Clubs and in the District.
- To fulfill the words and ideals of Rotary International. RI President Mark Daniel Maloney in his commitment to the United Nations, has pledged to commit “... to a healthier, more peaceful, and more sustainable world,”
Clenise went on to inform us of the happenings in our District
1. Ours was her 56th Club visit
1. Ours was her 56th Club visit
2. We had a successful District Conference last week
3. WHRO filmed The Writer’s Block at the conference and it will be aired on October 20
4. World Polio Day is on October 24 and she asked us to help “Paint the District Purple”
5. The first “Next Chapter Club” will celebrate “Believe in You” with high school students in April of 2020
Last, but certainly not least—she told us the District needs us. We are important to the District as we are strategically placed to make a difference in our community and in people’s lives.
The Meeting:
President Lorna introduced our Rotarian visitors - Irene O’Brien, President of the Satellite Club and John Nelson from Richmond. Bob Heely reported that Mark Shaw got an upgrade to his pacemaker, that if anyone had some time, Roger Flagg would appreciate visitors. We all were happy to have Bob Latimer back with us today.
Club Business:
- President Lorna read out the October birthdays and we all sang “Happy Birthday” She also read the list of October anniversaries both wedding and Rotary anniversaries.
- Steve Schultz had the honor of inducting our newest Rotarian, Karintha Cary who is the President of the Roteract Club at ODU. She started as a freshman and is now their president and our newest member.
- President Lorna thanked everyone who volunteered for the District Conference. It was a huge success and a lot of fun!
- President Lorna let us know that there are more names on the Table listing than there are seats. If all of the seats are full, it will constitute a 100% table. Also, please let her know if someone hasn’t come to a meeting in a while.
- Marty Raiss invited the PrimePlus Board to stand and then she invited our members to take a tour of PrimePlus on October 17 from 8:30 - 9:30. It’s a hidden gem providing classes, events and activities for people over 50 years of age.
- We are sponsoring The Little Readers Library at the Hunton YMCA. It is being set up with the help of the Norfolk Public Library which has donated furniture and toys as well as help from one of their librarians. Jeff Wells is providing a truck to pick up the furniture and toys, but help is needed in loading up. Please call Marty if you are able to help.
- Rachel Bellis reported that on October 11 from 1:30 - 5:30 we will be helping the Salvation Army in their screening process for the Christmas season workers. In November, we will be sorting through food and helping to organize their stock at the FoodBank - the date TBA. We have a date of December 12 at the FoodBank from 5:30 - 7:30.
Sharon Laderberg won the Daily Raffle with $12.00 and drew the King of Hearts not capturing the big pot of $466.
Happy Bucks:
- Barbara Lifland is happy to be back from her trip she took with her husband Erol, to Peru
- Gary Bostwick is celebrating his wedding anniversary with his wife Christine and also that he was happy to see Clenise who he got to attend the Rotary International Convention with District Governor Clenise Platt.
- Sigur Whitaker gave happy bucks for her incredible trip to Italy and fellow Rotarians Joey Rothgery and Michael Desplaines were on the trip as well.
- Michael Desplaines also gave some happy bucks for his trip to Italy
- Joe Massey gave up happy bucks for his new car (same plate, new car) and then donated more for his cell phone ringing.
- Marty Raiss was celebrating her 27th Wedding anniversary with her husband George
- Chip Vogan was happy (and proud) of his son who is now the Assistant Editor of Macmillian Publishing.
- Visiting Rotarian John Nelson was happy to finally catch up with District Governor Clenise.