The Rote – October 28, 2021
The Miami Yacht Club and via Zoom
Scribe: Marcia Brod

President Noreen Timoney welcomed everyone to the second in-person meeting of this Rotary year…. additionally, she also welcomed those members watching via Zoom. The invocation was given by Robin Shelley and the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag was led by Shirley Pardon.

Announcements:

• Get Well Wishes are being extended to Club Membership Chair Dave Anderson. Dave has just returned home from a hospital stay. We all hope for a speedy recovery;

• Thanks go out to all who attended the Celebration of Life for former Club President Tim Ryan. It was a lovely service and the efforts by all club members involved were greatly appreciated;

• Diane Landsberg hosted a tie dye event to prepare for our Hippie Halloween. Marcia Brod created two award winning shirts. (Note from Marcia: all shirts made were unique and award worthy)

• Be sure to sign up for the Hippie Halloween Party, Saturday October 30, at 7:00pm at the home of Diane Landsberg;

• Our Community Service team has launched a new project, “Luggage with Love.” We are collecting luggage to provide to foster children when they have to move. Steve Dutton introduced Japh Kariuki who is one of the many foster care success stories;

• SOCtober continues into November so please contribute new socks that can be given to the homeless;

• The Alzheimer (11/20) and Heart Walks (12/4) are coming up. Be sure to sign up and participate either with the group or around you own home. Please contact Dave Skinner for registration details;

• On November 20 club members will be able to participate in a Coral Reef Regeneration project with the Coral Restoration Foundation. Folks will be snorkeling to repopulate coral reefs in the Keys. Contact Robert Bull for more details;

• The Club has received a District grant to plant more trees to restore the City’s canopy. The project will start with the first tree planting in February. We hoped to be able to have one or two tree planting this Fall but Million Trees Miami is not able to plan any of these until the beginning of the new year.

• Another District grant came through that will allow club members to work with the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science on another coral reef project. More details to come;

• Food will be collected before the holidays to once again help Feed Miami to support those in need;

• Member Cathy Cahill has given the club holiday items that were part of a late relative’s estate. These items will make great holiday gifts and will be available for sale at the Halloween Party.

To our November Birthday Celebrants:

Ada Dana (11/4), Cathy Cahill (11/5), Susan Lichtman (11/6), Don Van Orsdel (11/6), Milton Muller (11/12), Norys Figuera (11/16), Priscilla Dames (11/23), Noreen Timoney (11/23) and Renel Noel (11/28)

Guests and Visitors:

Our welcome mat is always open for guests from far and wide. Today we welcomed:

• John Fulton, Jr. Assistant Governor Area 5 and member of the Brickell Club;

• Victoria Salem from a Rotary Club in Mexico. She shared that her club is making an effort to feed underserved children in the community, and she will send us more information;

• Japh Kariuki (the name is Kenyan) came to the meeting with Steve Dutton. He was a product of the foster care system and is ready to graduate from FIU shortly;

• Ron Fulton is another Mexican Rotary Club member visiting today;

• Eileen Carpenter is a development director with several clients in Miami, including Riverside House, a rehabilitation facility;

• Bernardo Lucena is visiting the club for the first time and is a financial planner.

District AG John Fulton introduced Today’s Speaker

• District Governor Joe Schumacker is a member of the Rotary Club of Davie/Cooper City and runs the family business, SpareZ Bowling Center is in Davie. His theme for the year is Rotary Alive;

• With the pandemic, leading District 6990 has been more challenging than normal, but he has learned that Rotarians are very resilient. We have been dealing with three crises during this year: public health, economic and social disruption;

• He shared that the Rotary Club of Miami will be the first club featured in the monthly district newsletter because of our long history and our bright future. He said that we are truly a “living” club.

• His 5-year plan (that he has one year to complete) has 4 pillars: structure, process, people and engagement.

• A “living” rotary Club must look to the future to be relevant and encourage new members.

Happy $$$$$$$$$$$$$ were collected by Steve Dutton

• Linda Singer was happy that her community came together when she publicized the “Luggage for Love” initiative. She collected 40 suitcases from her neighbors – great job!!!;

• Robin Shelley was happy to hear another DG presentation and commented that this was the best he’d heard and thanked DG Schumacker for his leadership;

• Diane Landsberg was thankful for the Club’s resiliency;

• Renel Noel was in Haiti when the missionaries were kidnapped, but thankful he and his people were ok. He also has managed to get a container of donated goods to Haitians affected by the earthquake;

• Steve Dutton was thankful to have Japh Kariuki visiting today;

• Noreen Timoney was appreciative of our DG coming to today’s meeting.

50/50

Guest Bernardo Lucena was the first lucky draw for the raffle and received a bottle of wine. Robin Shelley was truly the lucky one today…. he was the next ticket selected and amazingly he drew the Ace of Spades!!!! He went home with $113 – a very good day for a very nice guy!!

The meeting concluded with District Governor Joe Schumacker leading everyone in the 4-Way Test.