President Oliver Ruiz welcomed everyone to the meeting. He shared a “Rotary Moment” that occurred while he was researching for a case. The beginning line of a decision he read was “There’s no better friend to a merchant than a fair competitor”. The quote came from a well-known Rotarian – James Cash (J. C.) Penney.
Shirley Pardon gave an invocation and Dave Anderson led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
Guests and Visitors were announced by Phil Seipp:
Gustavo Villeda is with the Foundation for Anthropological Research and Environmental Studies (FARES);
Rodolfo Castillo is also with FARES;
Stephanie Bull joined us today and is the spouse of member Robert Bull;
Lenny Brod, spouse of member Marcia Brod, also attended the meeting; and
Clora Adkins, spouse of Dr. Percy Nelson, also attended the meeting.
New Member:
Always one of the greatest honors for a club president is to introduce a new member to the Club. Today PresidentOliver was proud to induct Dr. Percy Nelson as a new member of the Rotary Club of Miami. Dr. Nelson has already taken part in Club events by participating in the Thomas Brown McClelland interviews and attending our 100th Anniversary Gala. We thank Shirley Pardon for sponsoring Percy’s membership. Welcome!!!!
Happy $$$$$$$$$$ were collected by Randy Lichtman:
Robert Bull was happy to have his wife Stephanie at the meeting for the first time and was also excited about hearing from the speaker today – Dr. Richard Hansen;
Dave Anderson was looking forward to this weekend’s District Assembly and was thrilled for the Club to be adding a new member today;
Shirley Pardon was happy to bring Dr. Nelson into the club as a new member. She is also looking forward to the cruise this Sunday on the Fathom – she’s hosting a happy hour on the ship;
Phil Seipp shared that the club received a $250 donation from a friend that attended the gala as his guest, and who wanted to give back to the club;
Renel Noel was happy to receive 11 boxes of medical supplies, having just connected via email with a source. The supplies will be shipped to Haiti. He also invited anyone who wants to go to Haiti to inaugurate the completion of his first toilet project to come with him and stay in his home. The dates are 7/12-22;
Randy Lichtman proudly announced that his wife, Susan, received the Service-Learning Faculty of the Year Award at Miami Dade College in Homestead. She guides the Journalism Club and was honored to have it named as the Best Campus Club.
Announcements:
Tuesday, April 25 – Interact Club fund raiser. 20% of sales from 5-9pm are contributed to the Club at the Chipotle Restaurant on Coral Way and SW 37th Avenue
Thursday, April 27 – NO LUNCH MEETING
Saturday, April 29 – District 6990 Night at Marlins Park
Thursday, May 4 – Lunch at the Miami Yacht Club
Today’s Speaker was introduced by Robert Bull:
Richard D. Hansen is an archaeologist and currently Adjunct Professor of Anthropology at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City;
Hansen graduated with a PhD degree from UCLA as a National Graduate Fellow, a Jacob Javits Fellow, the UCLA Distinguished Scholar (1988), the Hortense Fishbaugh Memorial Scholar (1987–1988), a Fulbright Scholar (1989–1990), the UCLA Outstanding Graduate Student (1991), and the UCLA Chancellor's Marshall (1992). Hansen is founder and president of the non-profit Foundation for Anthropological Research and Environmental Studies (FARES).
The FARES Foundation is committed to investigating and saving the Mirador Basin, and is currently collaborating with its partners, the Guatemalan government, the Global Heritage Fund, the Foundation for Maya Cultural and Natural Heritage (Pacunam), Friends of the Natural and Cultural Heritage of Guatemala (APANAC), the Hitz Foundation, and many other institutions, local communities, and international organizations and governments to ensure preservation and protection of this exceptional area.
The Mirador Basin exists as one of Central America’s greatest treasures. This culturally and biologically rich area is located in the northern-most region of the Peten (Guatemala) and southern Campeche (Mexico), in the heart of the Maya Biosphere Reserve. Covering nearly 810,000 acres on the Guatemalan side, the Mirador Basin offers extensive habitat to a rich diversity of flora and fauna, including several World Conservation Union (IUCN) identified endangered species. In addition to a striking biological diversity, the Mirador Basin is marked by the earliest and largest Preclassic Maya cities known in Mesoamerica. These cities are filled with massive constructions including pyramids, temples, palaces, causeways, and other remnants of a highly evolved and complex society.
Dr. Hansen’s organization is committed to scientific investigations utilizing multi-disciplinary cultural and environmental data for the conservation and development of threatened areas, and to promoting education and vocational training in local communities.
There are hopes that the area can become an eco-tourism destination sometime in the future to share the area’s rich history with others and to create awareness for the site;
Dr. Hansen is also an honorary Rotarian. This honor was awarded to him by Former RI President Frank Devlin.
Dave Skinner led everyone in the 4-Way Test of the Things We Think, Say or Do.
