The Program:  President Sally introduced Winston Whitehurst, our Rotarian of the Day, who introduced our guest speaker. His intro can be summed up saying that Ross Wood, our Rotary Peace Scholar who grew up in Norfolk, is “one of the most interesting men I know.”  Ross has spent the majority of his adult live in various volunteer activities all over the world. He recently completed his Rotary Peace Fellowship at the University of Bradford, England and was here to speak about his work in the troubled nations of sub-Saharan Africa.

 

Ross was one of 60 Rotary Peace Scholars selected last year. Each scholar studies for a year at one of five Peace Centers in the world that cannot be in their home country. He concentrated on African Studies, building on his South Sudan experience where he helped run a refugee camp. The year included three months of applied field experience, which Ross spent in Kenya with a private intelligence security firm – his first private experience since all other volunteer assignments had been with non-profit humanitarian organizations. The result of his study will be a masters degree this year, once his thesis, which he recently completed and submitted, is approved.

 

Ross then shared anecdotal details of his year and half of volunteer work in the South Sudan prior to his fellowship and how those experiences informed his studies at the University of Bradford, as well as how he intends to use his advanced education. Of particular interest was his discussion of a radical and radicalization. There are 900 Rotary Peace Fellows all over the world building important relationships that result in positive change – living by the Rotary Moto of “Service Above Self”.  We are blessed to have men and women like Ross doing this vital work quietly all over the world.

 

President Sally presented Ross with the book Otis & the Scarecrow that will be presented to our School of the Week, Ghent School, in his name. The book is about kindness.

 

The Meeting:  President Sally rang the club to “attention”.  Bob Heely, accompanied by Frank Whitman on the piano, led the club in “The Four Way Test” and the second verse of “America.”  Following the Pledge of Allegiance, Joe New offered the Invocation.

 

Visitation Report: Jean Owens followed with the Visitation Report: Lisa Chandler shared with Jean that Nancy Chandler was now home. Dean Thomasson’s wife Erin is undergoing another treatment. Colin McKinnon’s wife Patt lost her mother.  Please keep all in your thoughts and prayers.

 

Introduction of Guests: Walt Sobczyk introduced our guests. The visiting Rotarians were Warren Stewart (Town Center Club), Bill Pollard (Churchland Club), Roger Schoonover (Cape Henry Club), and Ben Huger (Broodmoor, Colorado Springs Club).  Rotarians with guests were Bob Heely with his wife Lush (celebrating their 42^nd anniversary), Michael Desplaines with Cathy Fitzgerald, Sally Hartman with Laura Lagasse, and Jim Wood of First Presbyterian Church and father of our speaker.

 

Announcements and Club Business:.

Upcoming events can be found on our website.

 

Fines and Happy Bucks.  Sharon Laderberg offered HAPPY bucks for Alabama winning the National NCAA Football Championship. 

Former District Governor Paul Sykes won this week’s drawing. He won the small pot and immediately turned over the proceeds to President Sally as a contribution to club projects. Thank you, Paul!

 

On that note, our meeting was adjourned.