PITTSFIELD ROTARY CLUB   9-10-08

What a CROWD!!!!!

Jan Bleich took over for our missing President Debbie….

Chuck and Linda led us in “The Four-Way Test” song….and smiles…(we’re doing better  at singing)….

Visiting Rotarian:  Dwayne Sterling with his wife Pat…he accompanied our speaker…

Visitors:   Allison Lyon, reporter for the Pike County Express;  Jessica Brown, who is currently employed by the Farmer’s State Bank…with husband, Rotarian Jake.

Jonathon Schoenherr, Farmer’s State Bank, with Murray Martin; Cathy Willman, Illini Hospital, with Carolyn.  Martha Lou Dean and Brenton Dean with Dawson;

Judy Clingingsmith, wife of President elect-nominee of Rotary International, Ray Clingingsmith.

September 17 Meeting, we will have Dick Passmore, our District Governor as speaker.  Let’s have a real crowd for him.

President Debbie has challenged each Rotarian to make a donation of $100.00 to match hers as a part of ‘Every Rotarian—Every Year’ for the Rotary Foundation. Checks will be given to the District Governor at this meeting.

Program:  Dawson Dean introduced President elect-nominee of Rotary International, Ray Clingingsmith.

Ray stated he had met Dawson in 1986, and become fast friend, coming to Pittsfield Rotary Club for our 50^th , in 1987, when our Rotary Club raised over $55,000.00 for the ‘Polio Plus’ campaign and again in 1994 for Eric Dolbeare’s installation as District Governor.

Dwayne Sterling will be his coordinator for his year as President of Rotary International.

Ray stated that the President’s job is to move Rotary forward, and will concentrate this year on World He3alth…malaria in Africa, and raising money to meet Bill Gate’s challenge grant of $100 Million dollars to finish the eradication of Polio in the world.

Ray grew up in Rotary.  His Dad was a Rotarian.  He also was a Rotary Scholar to South Africa.

The President of Rotary International must be chosen from the past directors of Rotary International.  (The U.S. only gets one every 3 years.).

He will be the lst from the mid-west in 34 years.  (Iowa has never had one).

Ray wants to make the job of District Governors less challenging and demanding so that younger Rotarians can feel comfortable with trying to become a DG.

The Rotary International meeting, set for 2011 to be in New Orleans, may have to be moved, but finding a city to handle 25,000 people who will attend is a problem.

Thanks Dawson, for getting us such a distinguished speaker.