President Robert Bull welcomed everyone to our February 18^th meeting.  Today is our 34^th Meeting of this fiscal year.  Wow, it is amazing how quickly time flies by. Again, he was in Bangkok and as his virtual backdrop he had a slide of the Reclining Buddha.

 

Jay Almeida, our former President, led us with the invocation and Arlene Terrinoni, recited the Pledge of Allegiance. Thursday, February 18^th , is the National Drink Wine Day, so cheers to all of you.  Any day is a good day to have a nice refreshing glass of wine.

 

Annoucements: Birthdays & Anniversaries:

Amelia Bonilla’s birthday is coming up on February 21^st. Happy Birthday Amelia. Stephanie & Robert Bull will be celebrating our 49^th wedding anniversary this coming February 20^th. Stephanie you deserve a huge medal for putting up with me over so many years.  Thank you for your love and support.

 

GBI Rx and TBM – Phil Seipp gave going to give us an update on these to projects. Within the GBI Rx project you will be sending over $500,000 worth of medical equipment to the Rand Hospital on Grand Bahama Island.  In regard to the TBM scholarship program we have over 70 applicants and volunteers will be needed for the interview process.

 

Remembering our History:  We received an amazing envelope from Ms. Patricia Phillips Alden, while clearing out her basement found the 1942 25^th Anniversary Historical Log.  Her father, Keith Phillips her father who is now 99 years old, was our 14^th President from 1931-1932.  The retrieval of these documents goes to show how important it is to store our historical data, photos, videos and other materials in an easy access location in the Cloud.  Marcos Menendez, with the assistance of Bunny Uriarte, is leading this Business Recovery/Continuity project.  If you have Club documents, photos, etc, please reach out to Marcos and Bunny. Thank you, Marcos & Bunny.

 

Community Service: Noreen Timoney then detailed our upcoming projects.  The tree planting project in Crandon Park will be on March 13^th. We need volunteers for this planting process.

 

Girl Scout Cookies: Our Club helped found the Girl Scout Troop in Overtown. Prior to COVID they used to meet in the Black Police Museum.  They are now ending their Girl Scout Cookie Sales campaign and need our help.  An email blast was sent out with information on how to order online.  Here is the website: https://digitalcookie.girlscouts.org/scout/troop1877-319.  If you want, you may donate your Cookie purchase to “first responders”.  It simple, there are no shipping charges, and we will help two groups, our Girl Scout Troop and first responders. 

 

Rotary Club of Stuttgart/Fernsehturm: Our former Member Michael Hilbos and the President of his Rotary Club of Stuttgart/Fernsehturm, Daneila Lindner, has joined us.  We thank your Club for sending us greeting when we celebrated Oktoberfest.  So had a virtual banner exchange, hopefully we will get together some time later this year.

 

Rotary Club of Beirut: We had a virtual banner exchange with the Rotary Club of Beirut.  If you recall there was a horrible explosion in the port of Beirut that killed hundreds, injured thousands, and left hundreds of thousands homeless.  Our Club and some of the Members have sent funds to the Rotary Club Association of Lebanon. They were so happy to receive our donation that we had a virtual banner exchange. Btw, the book on their banner, says Beyrtus Nutrix Legum, which means Beirut Mother of Laws.  In Roman times, Beirut was the pinnacle of legal studies.  Beyrtus Nutrix Legum is the motto of the City.

 

ESRAG video competition: We are still in second place in the ESRAG #IFixThePlanet video competition.  A smaller Rotary Club from Mumbai, India, the Rotary Club of Bombay, jumped ahead of us.  They have fifty-five members and have reached nearly 850 votes and compared to our 200 votes.  Now we need your help, not just to vote and to view the video on the competition’s webpage. Please visit www.ifixtheplanet.org/the-videos

 

New Member Induction: Phil Seipp inducted Ms. Michelle Horvath and Ms. Karla Acosta, as our newest Members.  Congratulation and welcome to the Rotary Club of Miami.  We look forward to meeting both of you in person, hopefully that will not be too long from now. 

 

Keynote Speaker: Steve Dutton introduced this week’s keynote speaker, Dr. Edward Suarez Jr.  and along with him we had the pleasure of also listening to future Doctor, Tyler Bartholomew. They discussed the mental health status in Miami and the only legal needle exchange program in Miami.  After their lecture, Robert Bull, virtually presented them with their respective Certificates of Appreciation.

 

Cory Gittner ended the meeting by leading us in the Four-Way Test.