President Sofie Ameloot welcomed everyone to the Centerville Rotary Club and led the reciting of the Pledge. PDG Harvey Smith provided the prayer and Jeff Senney led singing God Bless America.
Today's Quote: One person can make a difference, and everyone should try." John F. Kennedy
Announcements:
- Thanks to today’s greeters, Ron Bowersocks & Adam Manning.
- Welcome today’s guests: Speakers Mike Caldwell and Jessica Wagner; Gina Smith’s father, Ed Werner.
- Reminder that lunch price increase to $15/meal will go into effect soon.
- The new Foundation committee is working out more details.
- Adam Manning announced the Pancake sponsor form is now available on the tables and also on our website. If each member gets at least one sponsor, we will be in good shape! Next committee meeting is next Thursday, Yankee Trace, at 11 am.
- Kristin Hutton noted we have a Pancake Facebook event so please share it with your networks.
- Uriah Anderson distributed packets of pancake tickets to sell. The envelope is marked if prepaid (paid with your dues.) Please turn in cash/checks to him as you sell your required 20 tickets.
- Kelly McDonald noted the Social committee hosted a nice gathering at Sueño and the next one will be at Brad Huffman’s house on September 26.
- Memorial brick laying Sept 26, Meeting at the Kennard Nature Nook that week instead of Yankee Trace. If you haven’t already, please sign up for lunch.
- Lisa Goris-May announced upcoming Service Opportunities
- St Vincent de Paul 10:30-1 commitment. Please sign up on the list if you’re interested in helping and the group will coordinate days. They now require soft background check (other charities, too). Our goal is to visit 4 times per year.
- We are a table sponsor (seats 8) for the Artemis breakfast on October 17 and also committed to providing volunteer help.
- Put together fun Party bags for distribution at food banks: cake mixes, frostings, candles, oil, brownie mix. Next week bring donations and we’ll put together after the meeting. Lisa will email with more details.
- Shoes for the Shoeless, every Tuesday & Thursday at schools, shoes get distributed to kids, 10 am - 1 pm. Will coordinate the group once signed up.
- Hops & Props volunteer opportunities. Help is still needed. Please see email Carol Kennard sent.
- A banner is in development to be placed at CHS announcing our scholarship.
- The Board is considering a sponsorship for the Ghost Walk on Main.
- Sept 7, 7 am, need 1 more person for Adopt a Highway
- Agape for Youth donation will be presented to them on September 19
- Thursday, October 10, District 6670 Karaoke Competition. We’re raising money to help fight polio at On Par Entertainment in Beavercreek with a karaoke competition. We need singers and we need spectators with money to vote on your favorite entertainer. All singers can sign up in DACdb. The rest of us will just show up, enjoy the entertainment and raise money to help fight polio.
Happy Bucks for this quarter go to Operation Warm, our annual drive to purchase winter coats for children in need in our area.
Pat Beckel was our Sergeant at Arms with assistance from Jim Stuart.
Happy Bucks were generously given for:
- Pat B spent last week in NYC at US Open. Played tennis in Greenwich, CT. Had to wear all white and the fee was $250/hour per person!
- Jim S for Pat looking so good.
- Gina S was happy she has crew of people to help with Dayton Writing Month in November.
- Jeff S is going to Cleveland to visit grandkids this weekend, was in DC last weekend visiting other grandkids where his oldest grandson ran a 5K and took 2nd place.
- Bob F for Operation Warm.
- Dave T noted the latest Rotarian magazine has an emphasis on the environment and a nice write-up on the Springboro club. His granddaughter scored 2 goals, and is in the top 25 scorers in the state. Pat’s shorts were too calm today.
- Crissy A was happy.
- Matt K for the waiter getting him a cheeseburger from the bar.
- Don S was back from a good trip to visit daughter, Mallory and visits to Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, and saw his first rodeo.
- Lisa GM noted we’re getting close to our goal for Operation Warm thanks to a large generous donation last week; Submarine House will do a raffle at Trivia Night to benefit Operation Warm.
- Pat T for football season.
- Sofie A rode in Tour de Gem on Saturday, and gave thanks to her sponsors, as she has almost reached her goal of $1,000 for The Dayton Foundation.
- Kelly M for coats.
- Tyler R for the US Open, and that an American is in the finals.
- Mike W has been in Rotary 40+ years, and attended all over the world, and reiterated one never comes to Rotary for the food, including today’s vegetarian only selections.
- Elda GG was happy.
- Harvey S gave for another coat.
- Ron H’s childhood friend who had a kidney transplant will be here for a visit this week.
- Chuck K had a bad week - first he got Covid, then while Elaine was walking the dog, a pit bull attacked twice, and then to top it off, on Sunday their sewer backed up. So for all that, not being her last week, and tomorrow being his birthday, he generously donated $100! Thanks, Chuck!
- Carol K thanked Lisa for promoting Hops & Props and shared that ticket sales so far are below what they’d hoped. Please buy a ticket this weekend and volunteer to help!
- Pat B noted you can also reach out to Optimists & Heart of Centerville for volunteers (which has been done for Hops & Props.)
Our speakers this week were Mike Caldwell and Jessica Wagner with Shriner’s Children’s.
Mike Caldwell said he was a Rotarian for 20 years, was a Past-President and PHF, but is not now due to his traveling schedule. He is the Regional Director of Marketing for Ohio and Kentucky.
Jessica Wagner, is also in Marketing at Shriner’s Children’s. She and her parents graduated from CHS, and her dad is in Centerville’s Hall of Fame.
Mike noted at Shriners Children’s, all kids are provided treatment regardless of the ability to pay. They serve Ohio & Lexington, KY
Shriner’s was first established in Shreveport LA, focusing on polio, and they created the hospital system. The fraternity who supports financially is the Masons. They are able to practice medicine based on what’s best for the patient, without worry about insurance.
Shriner’s has 22 locations in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
The Ohio burn and wound care moved to Dayton in 2022, to form a better partnership with Dayton Children’s.
They draw patients from 30 different states and international, too. They have treated children from more than 30 countries.
Mike shared some videos that help tell their story. To see some of the children’s journey, visit this
SITE.
Shriner’s Children’s has received a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, showing they are good stewards of the dollars raised. They care for the patient and family. The Shriner’s have a 100 year history of raising money to help kids. The Dayton Children’s location is the first hospital within a hospital. Staff have expertise in burn and plastic surgery care.
Many burns they see are small burns, treatment is important for long term healing. And they do education to prevent burns. They stay with patients until they are 21 years old. Mike shared some personal stories.
To view a tour of the new facility, see the video
HERE.
They do take families with insurance, but if insurance doesn’t cover it, they don’t burden families with that worry. Mike asked us to help spread the word of who they are. They are here if you need them.
.png)
