President Dave Skinner called the meeting to order. Jay Almeida gave an invocation and Norm Kassoff led everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
Guests and Visitors were introduced by Oliver Ruiz:
Eva Gero joined us as a visiting Rotarian from the Berkeley Rotary Club in California;
Roberto Ruvalcaba is a Rotarian and the Rotary District 6990 Membership Chair;
Eileen Byrne came to lunch as a guest of Noreen Timoney;
Enrique Azuaje is Captain of the Salvation Army and husband of today’s soon-to-be new member;
Gregory Truitt, Assistant Director T.P. Hanlon and Chief of Staff E. Mendez joined us today as additional representatives of the Miami-Dade Police Department.
Announcements:
The DOCS program will put on free clinic in Overtown on Saturday, December 8. Members may want to consider designating their $100 club charitable donation to this event to purchase toys for the children.
New Member Introduction:
Dave Anderson, Membership Chair, had the distinct honor of inducting Nancy Azuaje as the newest Rotarian in the world! Nancy is originally from Venezuela and has three sons and one grandson. She and her husband work with the Salvation Army that focuses on Education and the Relief of Poverty in over 140 countries. Welcome to the Rotary Club of Miami family!!!!
Happy $$$$$$$$$$ were collected by Cory Gittner:
Tim Ryan was happy to be at the meeting and glad to see friends from the MDPD. He was also happy that his niece, who lived in Paradise CA, got out of the raging of the fires safely;
Gregory Herman-Giddens was happy to give to TBM on Give Miami Day and also made a contribution to his law school while he was in the giving mood;
Marcia Brod was happy to have mailed out the latest TBM Alumni Newsletter. She also is looking forward to Thanksgiving and invites anyone to join her family if they don’t want to spend the holiday on their own – they just have to be aware that Thanksgiving this year at the Brod household is on Friday;
Dave Skinner was glad to see such a good turnout and also happy to see Tim Ryan at today’s meeting;
Robert Bull dropped in on Urgent Care before the meeting – all is A-OK. He also hopes that the elections will all be over by Thanksgiving;
Oliver Ruiz welcomed and gave appreciation to the folks representing the MDPD;
Noreen Timoney was looking forward to today’s talk by the MDPD Director. She was also glad to have her friend Eileen at the meeting and is looking forward to her son coming for Thanksgiving;
Diane Landsberg is prepping for the usual crowd of 32 or so people for Thanksgiving. She also presented a check for TBM;
Eva Gero, a visiting Rotarian, shared that she just loves Miami (so do we Eva);
Jay Almeida encouraged anyone interested to share their $100 of community service funds with Feed Miami – a project being promoted by his daughter, Miss Everglades Stephanie Almeida;
Phil Seipp shared that TBM received $125 from the Network for Good – and discovered it was a wish list gift from Robert Bull.
Today’s Speaker was introduced by Norman Kassoff:
Juan Perez is Director of the Miami-Dade Police Department. He started in the department as a patrolman and has moved up the ranks to director over the last 28 years. He is Miami-born to a Cuban immigrant father and is proud of his family’s past. Director Perez feels that one must know their past to know who you are today;
Upon his appointment to his current position, he established three pillars or goals he wished to achieve:
Reduce gun violence, especially with our youth
He wants to be strategic and look for the root causes of gun violence;
Address the ignitors – such as drugs and mental illness;
Private and public partnerships through mentoring are very vital.
Improve the technical support and capabilities of the department
The department now has 1,500 body cameras that are important in creating evidence where it didn’t exist before;
A Real Time Crime Center is being created. Calls will be monitored and information will be fed to officers in real time.
Manage and recruit the right people for the right jobs
The MDPD is the eighth largest agency in the U.S.
They are looking to recruit the best and brightest and promote from within.
Today’s raffle was won by our visitor, Eileen Byrne. It was her lucky day and she received half of today’s collection pot. Starting over again next week everyone!!
Robert Bull led us in the 4-Way Test of the Things We Think, Say or Do.
Scribe: Marcia Brod
Rotary Club of Miami members and family and Miami Rotaractors walked to support the American Heart Association's life-saving activities.
Marcia Brod, Angela Deggs and Amelia Bonilla deliver supplies for the families at Inn Transition shelter. Norby Rudel also participated.
Marcia Brod, Angela Deggs and Amelia Bonilla deliver supplies for the families at Inn Transition shelter. Norby Rudel also participated.