Newsletter - Archive  Jun 14, 2010

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Tennessee's First Breakfast Club - Charles Crowe - President 2009-10 Rotary Club No. 3878 - Oak Ridge, Tennessee - District 6780 VOTED DISTRICT 6780 BEST ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER - 2007-2008
Volume 30 - No. 36	Lydia Birk - Breakfast Bytes Editor	June 14, 2010

Notes from Rotary Meeting - 6/9/10

Contributed by Pat Powell

Charles Crowe, Club President, opened the meeting; Louise Mixon led members in singing the "God Bless America"; Ben Andrews led the pledge to the flag; and Albert Beasley led the Invocation (#8).

Guests and visitors:

Aaron Ogle, Resource Director, Habitat for Humanity;

Mike Paulus, Technology Transfer at ORNL who was introduced by Cathy Toth; 

Brandon Fisher, Juvenile Judge, Anderson County. 

Announcements:

Karen Bridgeman thanked the many members who helped with the Graduation Celebration activities.  She pointed out that 85% of the graduates were in attendance. 

Martha Hobson, Rotary Foundation Chairperson, reported that we have gained 14 Paul Harris Fellows this year.  She also reminded members that there is $300 in the foundation account which could be used to help match new fellows.  She stated that there are only 8 members who have not contributed to the foundation - it would be wonderful to have 100% in the club.   

Pat Postma reminded members about the Progressive Dinner being held on June 12th on the "West End".  Fifty people have signed up to attend this event which starts at Pat Imperato's home for  appetizers;  the group will move to Gail Mattson's home for the main course;  and end at Mark Morris's home for dessert.   She stated that anyone who wants to come should plan on attending - it would be good if they would call and let her know, however.   She mentioned that, anyone who wants to come, should bring an appetizer or dessert.  

 "The Rooster": 

Rooster  Hardy began  by asking Mike Baker to come to the front and wait.  He then explained that the Rooster planned to issue a number of fines.  The first fine was leveled at Henry Perry, however, the Rooster allowed Henry to work off his fine by accompanying the others being fined with his harmonica rendition of "Jailhouse Rock". 

Ray Smith was fined, but Ruby Miller graciously paid his fine, after speaking up on his behalf.

Rooster Hardy had a special humorous tribute for Mike Baker, as he just finished another great year as Principal at Robertsville Middle School.  Then he fined Mike $2.

Happy Dollars- Happy Dollars consisted of numerous "thank you dollars" to Tom Lakers and John Wheeler and their spouses for the outstanding Dim Sum Dinner event (one of the most popular items at the club's recent auction).  Ten couples plus the hosts enjoyed a tremendous evening together.

Linda Brown gave happy dollars for a recent camping trip she got to spend with her family which includes 5 grandchildren.

Charles Crowe gave $ for his attendance at his 40th high school reunion.

Pat Parr announced that her son has gotten a job in Fort Lauderdale after graduating law school.

David Harris informed the club about his daughter's recent experiences on a mission trip where she has survived both a volcano eruption and tropical storms.  He also read a note from Courtney and Brian Henry, thanking club members for their support through Brian's hospital stay and recuperation.

The Rooster collected $79 at this meeting.

Speaker:

Pat Parr introduced Harry Quarles from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, who spoke on "invasive plan management on the Oak Ridge Reservation".  Harry is the Invasive Vegetation Specialist and is a part of the Natural Resources Management Team for the Oak Ridge Reservation.  He is from Virginia and has a PhD in Terrestrial Ecology from the University of Virginia.  He has held environmental jobs involving vegetation management for industry and at least one state department of transportation, and he has also worked with various environmental regulatory matters.  His work with the invasive plants on the Oak Ridge Reservation has made an obvious impact, particularly his success with the treatment of kudzu.

He spoke about the need for "elimination or reduction of invasive plant species encroaching on ORR which impacts utility infrastructure, environmentally sensitive areas, security, wildland fire fuel reduction, remediation sites, monitoring sites, research areas, cultural resources, and wildlife habitat.  Control of invasive plants is a Federal priority per Executive Order 13122."

He also spoke about some of the more interesting plants that are extremely lovely, but very difficult to control, like the Autumn Olive.  He made one additional point, as well, which was that, though difficult to control, many of the plants are extremely good for the preservation of the wildlife.

For more information on this important subject, please go to http://www.esd.ornl.gov/facilities/nerp/invasive_plants.html  

FUN & Good Fellowship was had by all at Saturday's Progressive Dinner

Rotary International Foundation Report, June 7, 2010

Martha Moore Hobson

Until the end of the Rotary year, Oak Ridge Breakfast Club (ORBRC) has $300 in matching funds for non-Paul Harris Fellows.  If you are not yet a Paul Harris Fellow, the Club will match up to $100 of your gift to the Foundation until the $300 has been used. 

Also, the 7/11 Club needs Paul Harris Fellows to contribute to it in the next few days so we can finish out $1,000 and have another drawing before the end of the year.  Paul Harris Fellows can contribute $50 or more.  Please make your check out to Rotary International Foundation and give it to Dub Shults.  If your name is drawn, you get to name a new Paul Harris Fellow.

Exceeding our goal of $4,720, ORBRC contributed $6,484.20 to the polio initiative this Rotary year.  Many, many thanks to Brenda Thornburgh for her company's generous gift of $2,500 to the effort.  We have one more year to contribute to the initiative, which is the matching challenge from the Gates Foundation.

Also, for the year, we have achieved Star Club status, contributing an average of $100 a member to the Foundation.  This is something President Charles certainly wanted us to do on his watch.

ORBRC has 160 Paul Harris Fellows, up from 144 in September 2009.  Please pat yourselves on the back.  Eighty-seven are current Club members, and 27 of the 87 have contributed $2,000 or more.

We have five benefactors who have contributed $1,000 to the Permanent Fund or made provisions in their will of at least $1,000 benefiting the Rotary Foundation.  Two of our benefactors are club members and three are no longer members.

We have 106 Rotarian donors and 8 members who have never contributed to the International Foundation , down from 14 in September 2009.  We have 224 non-Rotarian donors, and the all-time giving of ORBRC is $267,700.98.

Our goal for the year is to have 100 percent participation.  We would like so much for the 8 who have never contributed to the International Foundation to do so before June 30.  It does not have to be a large contribution.

Stay tuned.  We have a couple of interesting, yet appropriate, goals for next year.

Other Rotary District Happenings

Susan Elkins, Rotary 6780 District Governor 2012-2013, has asked that we share the information below with all area Rotarians.

Tunes 4 the Troops and its new partner, Tennessee Tech University, are hosting a packing party on Saturday, June 19th, beginning at 8 am at Cleveland High School.

We need as many willing and able bodies as possible to achieve the goal of packing more than 40,000 items in 200 boxes for shipment to troops stationed in combat zones.

At the Rotary 6780 District Conference, Rotarians donated more than $1,500 towards the $5,000 shipping cost. With the help of a District Simplified Grant, the Cookeville Rotary Club intends to donate $1,000 while Tennessee Tech is also donating $250.

Tunes 4 the Troops is also accepting any donations of CD's, DVD's Books on CD or MP3 players and I-Pods with accessories.

For information about Tunes 4 the Troops, visit www.tunes4thetroops.

Dr. Elkins is our point of contact. Her information is as follows:

Dr. Susan Elkins, Vice President

Extended Programs and Regional Development Dean,

School of Interdisciplinary Studies

Tennessee Technological University

Box 5073

Cookeville, TN 38505-0001

Phone (931) 372-3394

Fax (931) 372-3499

Email: selkins@tntech.edu

Polio Plus  and the Chattanooga Lookouts

The North River club has arranged for a special night at the Chattanooga Lookouts baseball game. On Monday evening August 2, 2010, the Lookouts will play West Tennessee at 7:15. By special arrangement a select allotment of tickets are available to Rotarians and their guests. These general admission tickets are only $4 each. All of the money goes to Rotary's Polio Plus project. How many tickets would you like?

DG Bobby Davis will be on hand to throw out the first ball and they are trying to get the local TV and newspapers there to take photos.

Tickets are available from Davis Sergeant (sergeantdavid@yahoo.com ), me (jfredd@aol.com ) or from your assistant governor. Even if you cannot make it to the game $4 is a small donation to polio, so buy a ticket. If you attend, try to be there about 6:30 - 6:45 PM EDT.

A great time will be had by all that attend.

BTW, if you received this e mail more than once then you must be really big in Rotary. Therefore you should by a ticket for each time you got this e mail. If you only received this e mail once then buy a ticket and come out to sit with the Rotary big wigs. That I would manipulate the addressees to raise a little more money for polio is a given! Come on out and have a good time on August 2nd.

Fred Heitman, Chair

Polio Plus Committee

 

ORBRC's UPCOMING EVENTS
JUNE IS ROTARY FELLOWSHIP MONTH
June 16	Chuck Puglisi: "Fathers Day Ties I have Known"
June 23	Dr. Grissino-Meyer: Tree Rings, Stradivarious & Lincoln's Logs
June 20	Annual Meeting.