Visiting Rotarians, Paul Harris Fellows, Presidential Citation w/Gold Distinction, & Generous Donations, all "Side By Side"!
Clover Park Rotary Club's Meeting Highlights for October 16, 2019
Notes written and edited by Dave Hall; Photo Credit: Tom "No Flash Needed" McClellan
Today's gathering was special for a number of reasons:
1. We enjoyed the company of several outstanding Visiting Rotarians, namely Dave Harkness of Tacoma South, Brenda Wall of Poulsbo, and Assistant/Area Governor (#12) Jamie Gregory.
2. Each of those Visiting Rotarians contributed to the meeting: Dave Harkness thanked CP Rotarians for our support of the famous "Indoor Golf Tourney", which one of our foursomes has won the past three years in a row. He presented our club with a $100 gift certificate to his superb furniture store as a tangible gesture of appreciation. (Note: This year's entry form is attached to the email version of these notes.); AG Jamie Gregory presented the Rotary International Presidential Citation (with Gold Distinction!) for RY 2018-2019 in recognition of our club's accomplishments; Brenda Wall was our guest speaker, presenting a stirring perspective of a much needed program...(More on this later!)
There were even more presentations, of a monetary nature:
We gave a check for $1,225 to Lemay GM Rick Vahl, who is continuing the worthy efforts of his illustrious predecessors, CPR Member Emeritus Charlie Maxwell, and Ric Thompson, for the "Build-A-Bike" program.
Bob Lawrence accepted a $500 donation for next year's Lakewood Arts Festival.
Clover Park Rotary has been designated as a ShelterBox "HERO Club" because of our longstanding and consistent support to displaced families around the world. ShelterBox Ambassador Dave Hall gratefully received the annual check for $1000.
And speaking of generous contributions...CP Rotarians Paul Webb (+4) and Marie Barth (+2) were presented with pins acknowledging their achievement of Paul Harris Fellowship multiple times!
By the way, as "People of Action", Clover Park Rotarians (led by Human Dynamo and Signature Service Project Director Alan Billingsley) joined community members, Lakewood Rotarians, and Pierce College Students for the second phase work party at our adopted South Sound Wildlife Area. The most notable accomplishment on Saturday, October 12 was construction of a sturdy and attractive retaining wall bordering the parking lot. While the next work party will take place in the Spring, planning, fundraising, and coordination efforts will continue unabated!
And speaking of exceptional walls...Today's speaker, Brenda Wall, provided us with insights about a program called Side-By-Side, which supports efforts to help girls and women in the rural areas of South Africa. While the topic of women's hygiene, health, and education isn't often discussed here in the USA, in South Africa and other developing countries around the world the subject is treated with shame, or simply ignored. Brenda explained that feminine hygiene products like sanitary napkins or tampons are almost non-existent in the rural villages. One of Side-By-Side's affiliated programs, "Days for Girls", developed a washable sanitary pad made of high-quality cotton cloth and a moisture barrier, which is easily and quickly produced at a very low cost. (Editor's note: A sewing group from Lakewood's Little Church on the Prairie makes and donates over 100 of these reusable pads every month!)
Over 1 million of these pads have been produced in small workshops throughout South Africa. Brenda emphasized that for these young women, the key is education about their reproductive systems and how to stay healthy, which in turn provides hope.
For more information, or to donate online, go to www.sidebysidesouthafrica.org
By the way, there were Fun AND Fines, despite President Ellie omitting General Ed from the agenda for THE SECOND WEEK IN A ROW!
Despite her crimes against Rotary, President Ellie had the lucky raffle ticket for today's $145 pot. This "Yin" was followed by the "Yang" of drawing a card other than a pot-winning Ace.
