PROGRAM for
OCTOBER 17
Mike Skehan & Dan Evans - Arnett-Clarian
MEETING FUNCTIONS:
Money Collectors:
LIZ SOLBERG - 11:15 to 11:45 a.m.
KEVEN JENNINGS - 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Greeter:
Invocation:
OCTOBER
PROGRAMS:
- 26 (THURSDAY) Joint Service Clubs - BB Coaches
- 31 DISTRICT GOVERNOR BING PRATT
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
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Let's give three cheers for the magnificent new look of Ripples on line. BILL
FULLER spent many frustrating hours making it easier to read and attractive on
all servers. Thank you, BILL!!!!!
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The Rotaract Club is sponsoring a picnic on October 15 starting at 4:30 at
Cumberland Park, North Shelter. They will have the hot dogs and hamburgers,
drinks, table service. The rest would be pot-luck. They are asking for a pot-luck
contribution and $3.00. I drove by Cumberland Park today and the easiest way
to get to the north shelter is off of Kalberer Road. The parking lot is for the
Soccer Field (there is a sign) It is just West of Salisbury St and off Kalberer to the
South.
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Dues are due before Nov 1. Also include that the dues are $108 and can be
brought to the meeting of mailed to the PO box.
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TOM MORAN reminded us to volunteer to sell chicken again on October 21st.
He also encouraged us to include Nelson's BBQ chicken on our menus more
often. The chicken freezes well and makes very tasty chicken salad.
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Gently used shoes are needed for the orphanage in El Salvadore. Please bring
yours just like you brought food for the food pantries. LETA KELLEY will collect
them.
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RAY PEETERS and the music committee want to know � "Do we have any
Rotarians out there who are musically talented, who might direct a song, or play
and instrument?"
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PRESIDENT JAN is hosting a New Member Reception on October 18th at her
home. Invitations to new members and sponsors have been sent. Please
RSVP to Kathy Kroll.
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BETTY DOVERSBERGER reminded the Youth Committee that there will be a
meeting following the regular Club meeting on October 17th.
JANE'S CORNER:
Highlights of Board Meeting
-
STAN MITHOEFER reported on a successful Gus Macker event. Lots of
students helped; 25 - 30 Rotarians volunteered. 220 teams played.
Enough funds were raised for the Student Habitat group and Lafayette
Habitat to build a house each. Rotary received about half of the funds
necessary to fund the playground at the CAPE Grant project. Plans are
proceeding for a more successful event next year.
-
The BBQ Chicken sales are slower than anticipated, but business is
steady. There was discussion on how to improve sales next year.
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A Moderator Committee will be formed under the Club Avenue of Service.
The primary duty will be to get a portable microphone to speakers in the
audience so all can hear introductions and questions addressed to a
speaker.
FAMILY NEWS:
From Tom and Denise Schmidt:
We have been in Zambia for 11 days, preached 6 times, lead 14 hours of
leadership conference in two days last Friday and Saturday in Lusaka, have
visited many schools, colleges, hospitals in the past week and two orphanages
today. It is amazing the need here in Zambia, but it is also wonderful how the
Zambians are trying to face the difficulties of their day...AIDS, poverty, etc. Lots
more to do. We arrived on National election day, Sept. 28 and experienced
some political unrest close to our host family, our host family is Dr. David and
Naomi Sibalwa, David is Department Head of the Adult Education of the
University of Zambia. Been to U of Z and found it interesting as materials and
provisions are adequate but seemingly antiquated.
People here are a blessing. We have been privileged to spend time in
Livingstone, Choma, Zimba, Jembo, Pemba and Lusaka.
Will return on Friday, Oct. 13. Look forward to our next visit to Lafayette and to
be able to share some of the stories and experiences of Zambia.
MOMENT OF HISTORY:
How Singing came to Rotary,
and Off-Color Jokes did not!
Almost everyone who is a member of a Rotary club for more than a year knows that Rotary
member No. 5, Chicago printer Harry Ruggles, brought singing to Rotary meetings. What almost
no one knows is why, and most don't know how important it was to the life of Rotary.
Harry Ruggles was a very moral man. He detested off-color language, malicious innuendo and
classless humor. He argued in club meetings for clean language. Little more than a year after
Rotary had been formed, at an evening meeting in 1906, the guest speaker began a story.
Having heard it before, Harry also had heard the off-color ending, and felt it was inappropriate for
the club, so he
jumped up in the middle of the joke and yelled, "Come on boys, let's sing!" He then led the club in
the singing of "Let Me Call You Sweetheart."
This was not only the first time that members had ever sung in Rotary, but apparently, also the
first time that a group of businessmen ever sang at a business meeting, anywhere. By his
surprising actions at this evening meeting, Harry demonstrated that demeaning activities and off-
color stories were not welcome at Rotary gatherings. "It was reported at the time that the would-
be speaker was embarrassed and sore," and so Harry Ruggles apologized, but the club backed
him up. Right then and there, it was decided that all subsequent Rotary meetings should be
conducted so that any woman could attend without being embarrassed. This has been the
unwritten rule ever since, just as the tradition of singing has endured.
Dirty words were not the only controversy in the early days of Rotary. Oren Arnold, in The Golden
Strand, revealed, "The time came, repeatedly, when Paul Harris was faced with failure; for one
reason or another -- or for no real reason -- the club often was at the point of disbanding. On such
critical occasions Harry stepped up front and shouted, 'Come on, fellows, let's sing!'
Was it the magic of Harry Ruggles and his music that worked? Was it his infectious enthusiasm
for singing? Or, just maybe, some of the reasons for its use had more to do with easing barriers
between men, and ending acrimonious discussions than a need for choral music.
History has proven that it was, and is, good magic for clubs anywhere, for families anywhere, for
groups of people anywhere. Arnold continues, "After all, clubs are simply families; when they
move in divergent paths, group singing often is the best way to reassemble them. Harry Ruggles
knew that, hence the parent unit and the whole service club movement is indebted to him."
COMMITTEES FOR 2006-2007:
Click on the above link to see those who work to make our Club great.