President Adam Manning welcomed everyone to the Centerville Rotary Club and led reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Brian Hayes provided the prayer.
Today’s quote provided by Don Overly: "I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” Jimmy Dean (country music singer)
Thanks to Boyd Preston for being our greeter today.
Welcome today’s guests: Steve Silverberg, our club’s Assistant District Governor; Pat Beckel’s guest Amy Adams, and Brad Huffman’s guest Dean Baldwin.
President Manning mentioned his email about last week’s speaker, noting it did not reflect our club’s professional image.
Ron Tringali was invited to the front of the room. He has completed all requirements for new members, so he was able to remove his red ribbon! Congrats, Ron!
Today’s Announcements
- Thanks to Lee, Uriah, Bill, and Adam for the I-675 cleanup last weekend. When they finished the 2.5 miles and made it back to Adam’s car, he discovered he had a dead battery. Fortunately, Heather rescued them and Bill had an electric car charger. No big findings this time other than a 10-pt buck, which they left in place!
- The next Board meeting is Jan 12, 5:30 pm at the RecPlex.
- So far this Rotary year, we have completed 7 service projects; 115.5 service hours, including the Interact Club volunteering at the Victory Project. In addition, our club members gave over 355 hours for Pancake Day.
- Uriah A reminded all to sign up for the Holiday party, on December 11, 6:30 pm at Yankee Trace.
- Ron H reminded all that it is Rotary Foundation month. Please let him know by Nov 30 if you want to participate in the club points match to get your next Paul Harris Fellow. He also shared that the Rotary Foundation recently received a 4 star rating for the 17th year in a row.
- Brian H asked to please check your email in next couple of days, and then let him know if you want your pancake tickets charged with your quarterly bill. Each member is responsible for selling 20 tickets, which amounts to $40 per quarter or $160 total.
Happy Bucks this quarter will be donated to Threads of Miami Valley who provides essential clothing to individuals and families in need at no cost, promoting dignity and hope.
Pat Beckel was our Sergeant at Arms with help from Brian Hayes. Pat apologized for not checking out last week’s speaker better. He announced this Sunday is the Holiday Walk at Uptown Centerville, with lots of fun activities planned for families. He also said the Fairy Godmother just purchased a new building and the basement has 400 miniature village displays which will be spread throughout the various businesses for the Holiday Walk.
Happy Bucks were generously given for:
- Pat B for his guest, Amy who he worked with at Ponderosa in college, and for Steve, who we’re lucky to have as an ADG.
- Jim H was happy to see everyone today.
- Lee H’s farm report was on the Corn Husking contest for Head Husker. Corn husking used to be done by hand with a horse and cart. This year it went to a 46 year old man in IN, who grew up husking corn in morning before school and then again after. In 30 minutes, he husked 475 pounds of corn. The deduct if not perfectly husked, so his final count was 450 pounds.
- Chuck K for today’s visitors and a nice visit to the Miami Valley Military Museum.
- Ron H for visits today by our DG and ADG; and shared a line from the movie, What about Bob - “Is this hand shucked corn?”
- Dan S for the OSU Buckeyes continued success.
- Mark K for the upcoming holiday and time with families, and continued success for the OSU Buckeyes, and the Cincinnati Bearcats.
- Sofie A for Heidi and Steve being here today, and she is headed to North Carolina to share the holidays with family.
- Ron T was glad to be done with the red ribbon list.
- Pat T for the OSU Buckeyes continued success.
- Heidi S was happy to be here with so many district friends.
- Adam M for Heidi & Steve being here today.
- Steve S gave congratulations on a successful Pancake Day.
- Carol K for her upcoming week traveling across PA to celebrate two grandkids’ birthdays, visit with her mom, and enjoy Thanksgiving with her daughter’s family.
- Gina S for today’s guests, and announced the Cozy Book Nook is opening officially on Saturday.
- Uriah A announced Woodland Lights opens Friday, Nov 21, and shared the RecPlex received an Ohio Parks & Recreation Association 1st Place Award in Management Innovations for a Red Cross CPR class taught in Spanish so language is not a barrier to saving lives.
- Harvey S was grateful for the club, and happy his head is not cancerous any longer.
- Elda GG was happy for today’s guests, Harvey’s family is coming Sunday, and her son from St Louis will be here for Thanksgiving, too.
- Bill M for today’s guests, and thanks to the litter picker uppers.
- Brad H for guests, his 50th birthday is this week, and he’s taking his son on a cool trip to somewhere I couldn’t hear, but am sure we’ll hear more about later.
- Jeff S announced all 7 grandkids are coming for the week.
- Raj G been gone for awhile on overseas adventures. His daughter is graduating from Harvard soon and has already signed a contract for a job after graduation.
Our speaker today was Rotary District 6670 Governor, Heidi Schiller.
Heidi has two decades of Rotary experience, has degrees in Theatre and is the Executive Director of the Oxford Community Arts Center. She has served many positions in her Rotary clubs and the district and is currently the Zone 30 Assistant Rotary Public Image Coordinator.
Heidi started by taking a selfie with the club, which she does at each visit to share in the District newsletter.
Her talk focused on purpose, collaboration, and peace and asked, “How can you not be romantic about Rotary?”
There’s a difference between joining Rotary and being a Rotarian. Rotary is something that lives in the heart. We unite for good to change someone’s life.
The event that changed her thinking about being a Rotarian was when she chaperoned a group of Interact kids to the Rotary United Nations Day. The room was full of people, with no politics, no evils, just people wanting to do good. She found a belonging to Rotary that day.
When she first joined Rotary in a new city and new state, her purpose was to meet those she needed to know in her new community. But after the UN trip, she stopped being just a member but became a Rotarian. Rotary is respected in over 200 countries, because we respect each other and we work to create real change in the world.
Rotarians collaborate to make a lasting difference in people’s lives.
She shared her ideas about living systems
- Has to be interconnected.
- Embraces dynamic behavior. If something doesn’t work, try something else.
- Must be self-regulated. You need feedback, response back.
- Embraces holistic nature.
Heidi challenged us to think of Rotary as a living system. She encouraged us to share our club’s successes with the District so other clubs can hear about them in the District newsletter or social media. Offer to help when you can. Volunteer to serve on a committee, spend the weekend with students at RYLA, or give a couple hours of your time helping at the 4-Way Speech Contest.
Ask for help when you need it. There is a lot of knowledge within the District.
Over $100,000 in District grants were awarded this year to 31/43 clubs. Every club that requested a grant was awarded one. In addition, the District donated $23,000 Polio Plus and $53,000 to Global grants. This year District 6670 added a $10,000 disaster relief fund to the budget. Proceeds from the funds our club gave 3 years ago (our 50th Anniversary year) came back to the District this year.
Heidi thanked us for being a Peacebuilder Club. In 2024, researched showed the Global Peace Index had declined. 97 countries report a deterioration in peace. Over 95 million people are displaced due to conflict, and $13 trillion has been spent on conflicts.
A Peacebuilding club considers Inclusion, economics, and justice and are intentional to promote peace. It is how we show up, listen, and lead.
Centerville & Dayton are the only Peacebuilding clubs in the district currently. A couple more are working on applications. Heidi’s goal is to have at least 8-10 Peacebuilding clubs in the district. One district near Columbus just reached 100% Peacebuilding clubs.
We can help other clubs by being mentors - show what it means to promote peace. Take action - share the projects we’re doing (peace poles), show we are leaders for peace.
May 2 is the District 6670 Day of Action. Heidi is asking each club to do a peace-related service project. Show how to approach conflict without violence and how peace is attainable.
Rotarians are leaders of collaboration, peace & purpose - we unite for good. With that approach, how can you not be romantic about Rotary?
