A Review of the Monday, August 18, 2008 Meeting

Rotary International - Rotary Club of Springfield Ohio

Newsletter Volume 95, Issue 7

New Member

(please add to your directory)

Richard A. "Rick" Yontz

Introduced by: Sunny Dhingra
Ridgewood School
2429 St. Paris Pike 45504
B: 399-8900 H: 390-3699 Spouse: Barbara
Birthday: November 2
Email: ryontz@ridgewoodschool.com

Bridges Out of Poverty

Melissa Perkins, left, and Marlo Fox talked about issues of poverty and programs to better understand and escape poverty.

Bridges Out of Poverty was introduced eight years ago to help people better understand the realities of families living in poverty. Marlo Fox, from Think Tank, Inc., said we seldom build a meaningful relationship with someone of a lower socio-economic group. The coalition focuses on education and making legislative changes. The middle class has a tomorrow and a future story, said Fox. The environment of poverty features pawn shops, fast food, dollar stores and check cashing. Entertainment has a high value to “ease the pain” because living in poverty puts people in the survival mode where they can’t think about tomorrow. Melissa Perkins, a participant in the local Circles initiative, talked about living in poverty, drug addiction, multiple marriages and the death of her daughter. Perkins is leading others out of poverty while working on the issues of poverty in the larger community. Fox concluded that the community’s mindset on poverty must change. Poverty should be as unacceptable as racism or cancer, and responsibility for poverty should be shared by the individual, the community and the government.

From President Linda

With our recently wildly successful membership drive now behind us, I just want to share with you some information about Rotary Membership. Many of the things we do on the local level and the way we do them are governed by Rotary International. Their rules and regulations have a very sound basis in an effort to keep all clubs operating in much the same manner.

It has been brought to my attention that we need to be a little more careful in the choice of language when we make our weekly introductions of guests to the general club. Membership to the club is an application process requiring two current Rotary member’s sponsorship as well as final approval by our Board of Directors. While growing our club is definitely a goal, both RI and the local board look at several criteria for membership.

Even though the formal recruitment drive is over the recruitment process is a never-ending one. Unfortunately we seem to lose members every month for a variety or reasons so we need for you to continue your efforts in this area. The success of our recruitment efforts is certainly critical to the long-term success of our club.

I encourage you to continue to bring guests to the Monday meetings who you believe would make good Rotarians and who you are willing to sponsor. Sue has applications and they are available on our web site. As you introduce your guests keep in mind while they may have completed an application, they are not members of the club, until they have been approved by the board, have been through our orientation and are formally introduced to the club. We need to be careful not to create a situation that might end up embarrassing guests, sponsors, and the club.

Thanks for your consideration on this and for your continual recruitment of new members.

Upcoming Duty Assignments

	Greeters	Fellowship	Blue Tickets	Invocator	Sergeant At Arms
9/1	NO MEETING
9/8	Leep, Thacker, Cox, M. Chepp	B. Brougher	Krauss	Hershberger	Umbaugh
9/15	M. Leventhal, Whitt, Greer, Deitrick	E. Leventhal	Federer	Schmunk	Umbaugh
9/22	R. Lohnes, Wildman, Mahoney, Foreman, Vanuch	P. Field	Sharp	Moormann	Umbaugh
*Please get a substitute if you are unable to serve.*

Next Meeting, Monday, August 25 12:10 PM at Casey's

Transitioning from School to Work and Beyond

Speaker: Joe Vanuch, Clark County Schools

Click Here for more information.

Duty Assignments

Greeters: Larson, S. Smith, Cox, E. Bell
Fellowship: Pavlatos
Blue Tickets: Krafft
Invocator: Detrick
Sergeant-At-Arms: Hannel

This Week's ...

Guests:

David Zak (with Sue Hebner), Linda Butler (with Louise Lambert), Wes Stephens (with Woody Cornette), Bruce Grimes (with Monte Zinn), Marlow Fox and Melissa Perkins (guests of the club)

Visiting Rotarians:

Steve Austria (Xenia) and Bob Buchy (Dayton)

Birthday Checks:

Paul Bendik

Welfare Funders:

Maribeth Mahoney (vacation), Pete Hackett (hospital), Jenny Rousculp, Bob Warren, Mark Wiener

Rovatarians:

Art Hannel (London), and Bonnie Bartos (Urbana)

Click here for a complete list of the Club Officers and Committees

The Rotary Club of Springfield Ohio
1324 Richmoor Road, Springfield, OH 45503
Phone: 937-399-4994 Fax: 937-390-7863
Email: info@rotary98.org
We Meet: Every Monday at Casey's, 2205 Park Road.

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