What most challenges our city’s ability to thrive today and to bounce back from a disaster tomorrow?  Christine Morris, Norfolk's Chief Resilience Officer, gave an engrossing presentation about our fair city's recent selection as one of the first members of 100 Resilient Cities (100RC), a program pioneered by The Rockefeller Foundation. Norfolk is the third city in the world to hire a chief resiliency officer: the others are San Francisco and Medellín, Colombia.  In addition to coastal protection, the city is focusing on neighborhood and economic resiliency. 

 

She noted that it's humbling to be part of this international group that includes Paris, Milan, Rio de Janeiro, Lisbon, Melbourne, Glasgow, Sydney, Barcelona, Rome, Montreal, San Francisco, and other world-class cities. 100RC is dedicated to helping cities around the world become more resilient to the physical, social and economic challenges that are a growing part of the 21st century by partnering directly with member cities to understand their resilience challenges and collaboratively build solutions.

 

100RC supports the adoption and incorporation of a view of resilience that includes not just the shocks—earthquakes, fires, floods, etc.—but also the stresses that weaken the fabric of a city on a day to day or cyclical basis. Examples of these stresses include high unemployment; an overtaxed or inefficient public transportation system; endemic violence; or chronic food and water shortages.

 

By addressing both the shocks and the stresses, a city becomes more able to respond to adverse events, and improves its ability to deliver basic functions to all populations in both good times and bad. 100RC’s vision is not only to help individual member cities become more resilient, but also facilitate the building of a global practice of urban resilience among governments, NGOs, the private sector, and individual citizens.

 

To advance that goal, 100RC provides several types of support: funding for a Chief Resilience Officer in each member city to lead resilience efforts (which is how Christine was hired); resources and technical assistance to develop a robust resilience strategy; membership in a global network of peer cities to share best practices and build the field; and access to a variety of resilience tools, services and expertise through a series of Platform Partners.

 

To provide leadership and insight during this process, a steering committee and working groups—composed of resident, business, nonprofit, and city staff stakeholders—met to review previous work, digest new information, and discuss ways to build resilience. All team members brought individual expertise to bear on the process, but the cross-committee dialogue was most critical in forming connections across the city’s strengths and identifying creative resilience opportunities.

 

Norfolk’s resilience strategy is driven by three key goals, each bolstered by supporting strategies and actions. Some strategies and actions represent new initiatives, others are already underway. All are a commitment to a new way of doing business—collective and coordinated action to build resilience.

 

Goal 1: Design the coastal community of the future.

Strategies:

 

Goal 2: Create economic opportunity by advancing efforts to grow existing and new industry sectors.

Strategies:

 

Goal 3: Advance initiatives to connect communities, deconcentrate poverty, and strengthen neighborhoods.

Strategies:

 

In discussing how to design the coastal community of the future, Ms. Morris suggested starting in the Fort Norfolk area, with a goal to SURVIVE, ADAPT and THRIVE.  A resilience dividend will be dual use of property, as lower areas can be used as parks and green spaces when they are not used as watershed “sponges.”  She is very optimistic about Norfolk’s chances in the National Resiliency Grant competition (winners to be announced within the next few weeks).  Grant money will help raise berms and make other landscape improvements such as redesigning the cul-de-sacs that have disconnected so many Norfolk neighborhoods.

 

More information about Norfolk’s progress with fascinating and timely initiative may be found at <www.nfkresilientcity.org>.  To learn more about the global initiative, see <www.100resilientcities.org>.

 

President Sally sounded the gong and asked for a moment of silence to honor the memories of former member Bob Wolfson (who passed away in San Diego) and for Irv Wells’ wife, Sue Wells.  Bob Heely led us in singing rousing renditions of “Sing Rotarians” and “You’re a Grand Old Flag.”  Following the Pledge, Julie Keesling led us in a thoughtful grace for the new year.

 

Visitation Report Jean Owens updated us on Hil Strode (for whom we signed a card to wish him well).

School of the Week: Fairlawn Elementary.
 
Guests recognized by Tim Lawrence: Phoenix Rotarian (and former member of our club returning to our area) Anthony Mia hosted his colleague Corey Banks; member Eleanor Schoonover hosted her husband, Cape Henry member Rodger Schoonover, and Joe Massey hosted Mary Carson Stiff of Wetlands Watch.

 

Announcements and Club Business 

Celebrated in song and with a visit from Sergeant at Arms Jennifer were our members with January birthdays: on the 2^nd, Collins Gooch and Greg Sutton; on the 3^rd, Ann Sullivan; 6^th, Jane Dembert; 9^th, Greg Bockheim; 10^th, Ray Norton; 10^th,  Ann Baldwin; 19^th, Paul Sykes; 24^th, Jennifer Palestrant; and on the 27^th, Dan Peterson.

 

Prez Sally recognized Paul Harris Fellow-plus-one achievers Alan Nelson and Joe Massey.  Will King received a spotlight for having sponsored new member Jeffrey Wells.

 

Will King kept the spotlight to remind members to support and international and local Rotaract and Rotary Youth Leadership Awards project to help over 2,000 children who are living on trash dumps.  Donations of the following are sought during the rest of January and the first meeting in February:

 

Last chance to take our member engagement survey.

 

Prez-Elect Bryce Burton will accept Rotary Grant applications until 29 January…please help spread the word.

 

Barbara Lipskis wants to finish our club’s expertise guide this month, so if you have yet to complete your survey, please do so immediately.

 

All months have three lunch meetings and one makeup event for perfect attendance—months with five Tuesdays do not change this rule.

 

December makeup reports are due to Jane no later than 13 January.

 

 

 

Wayne Shank contributed a happy buck with the well-received announcement that Uber services soon will be restored at Norfolk International Airport. Bill Burnett, who bought his wife Betsy a new Volvo, said “she is ecstatic; I am broke!”  Jerry Rothgery plugged the Norfolk Master Gardener Training Course, offered only once a year, that starts in February.  John McLemore happily contributed for Maria, his oldest daughter, who was wed on 31 December (and a beautiful photograph of her in last Sunday’s Pilot).  Chuck Spence coughed up a happy buck even though the photograph of him in the Pilot singing Handel’s “Messiah” was from a previous year with the Virginia Symphony Chorus.  He also proudly recognized his grandson Marshall’s acceptance into George Washington University.  Diane Wallach was featured in Inside Business for being among Women in Business Achievement Award winners (our club nominated her).  She also took a moment to encourage members to nominate young people who our club might sponsor to participate in the Thiel, Netherlands exchange program.  Jim B celebrated last week’s “miracle in Blacksburg” (Hokie win).  Jim O’Brien was so happy to see Anthony Mia back in town that he paid Anthony’s $20 ringing-phone fine.

 

Vice President in Charge of Programs: Bryce Burton.

 

Rotarian of the Day Chip Finch introduced our guest speaker, Christine Morris who has enjoyed a 25-year-long career leading philanthropic foundations and other nonprofits.  Ms. Morris holds a degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a graduate degree in International Affairs from George Washington University.

 

Weekly Raffle: Bill McInnis’ raffle bag produced a winning ticket for Dona Overstreet, who took home only the daily pot.

 

Prez Sally sounded the concluding gong at 1:35.