Rote: April 15, 2021
Midday Meeting via ZOOM
President Robert Bull welcomed everyone to our April 15th meeting. This was our 42nd meeting of this fiscal year.
Jay Almeida gave the invocation. Noreen Timoney led us in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Announcements:
Today is
National Banana Day. Enjoy this fruit or is it a fruit? Bananas are both a fruit and not a fruit. While the banana plant is colloquially called a banana tree, it is actually an herb distantly related to ginger, since the plant has a succulent tree stem, instead of a wood one. The yellow thing you peel and eat is, in fact, a fruit because it contains the seeds of the plant.
TBM Scholarships: This is the time of the year when we interview and select the next season’s of TBM Scholars.
Phil Seipp gave us a detailed review of the process and the amount of scholarship funds that will be provided this year.
#IFixThePlanet Video Competition: Our Club has three videos that have been submitted for this video competition. All of the videos are now amongst the TOP TEN. We need to keep these positions. Therefore, we are now going to have to reach out to our friends and family. We will be sending out an email for you to forward. Please do so. We need the votes. There is still a little more than six weeks left in the competition for people to vote.
Miami Rescue Mission: The Miami Rescue Mission sent us a lovely Thank you note for our donations. They also sent us two email with several photos. Additionally, they have invited us to participate in one of their radio transmissions. Rotary on the Radio. It’s nice to hear a thank you from our beneficiaries.
Bi-Lingual Booklets:
Bunny Uriarte secured bi-lingual booklets (English/Spanish) for our Club to distribute. There were quite a few booklets. We have already given many away, but many more are left. Here is
Stephanie Bull sorting out these booklets for delivery to low income area schools. These booklets are for younger students, while our dictionary program is targeted towards third graders.
Phi Theta Kappa: The Miami Dade College Homestead Campus’ Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (
Susan Lichtman is their faculty advisor) helped out when our Club conducted the “
LEADING CHANGE IN A COVID WORLD” Seminar. Now they need our help. Phi Theta Kappa is conducting a fundraiser and are selling entertainment voucher coupons. There are over $50 is discounts and the voucher costs only $20. Please contact
Randy and/or Susan Lichtman to purchase these voucher.
Renew Your Membership: An email on this topic went out. Our dues are very reasonable just $200/year. Please pay by June 15
th to avoid a $20 late fee. If you pay by credit card or PayPal, the total is $204 to cover the service fees. Please get this done soonest. We do not want to chase after stragglers.
ESMAG: Club Members have been receiving packets of wild flower seeds that were mailed out. Please plant them soonest. We will
Celebrate Earth Day next week, on April 22
nd at our usual Thursday midday meeting when we will also find out who won the Earth Day contest. Prizes will be awarded to the best photos/comments for those who are doing something positive for Earth. Please email me your photos and comments. We have received several photos but many more are expected. Please send your photos in as soon as possible. All photos will be displayed.
Remember that
ESMAG is a non-cost membership. Just send me an email to let me know you want to join. Your children/grandchildren and other interested parties may also join. The website is
www.esmag.org , we also have a Facebook page.
Keynote Speaker: Robert Bull introduced our keynote speaker,
Dr. Michael Hogan who is (born in Newport, Rhode Island) an author of twenty-five books, including two collections of short stories, eight books of poetry, selected essays on teaching in Latin America, two novels, the critically acclaimed
Abraham Lincoln and Mexico, and the best-selling
Irish Soldiers of Mexico. Dr. Hogan’s presentation was extremely interesting and everyone was concentrating on the amazing history of the Irish Soldiers’ destiny as they fought on the Mexican side during the Mexican American Was (1846-1847).
After his presentation and Q&A, Robert Bull gave Dr. Hogan a Certificate of Appreciation.
Cinco de Mayo Party on the Seis de Mayo: Following up on Dr, Hogan’s Mexico themed presentation, it was announced that we will have an in-person
Cinco de Mayo Happy Hour on the Sixth of May (May 6th) starting at 6:30 PM.
Facing covering and social distancing MUST be followed. There is a pre-payment requirement of $20/person. A ticket for one adult drink will be provided and ample amount of Mexican hors d'oeuvres (appetizers/snacks).
Mother's Day Raffle: Since Mother's Day is just a few days after the Cinco de Mayo Party, we will be raffling a Mother's Day gift basket at the event. You do not have to be present to buy the tickets. Just let Robert and/or Phil know how many tickets you want. Tickets are just $1.00/each.
Four Way Test:
Marcia Brod led us in the Four Way Test to end our meeting.
Susie Shelley was the lucky winner. His book may be purchased by visiting here: