In honor of Groundhog Day, Harvey wore his Groundhog shirt, showing it to the group before the prayer and closing the shirt before a picture of it could be taken. Harvey's here in the middle with his hand raised.

 

 

 

 

President Ron Hollenbeck reminded everyone of the upcoming District Conference meeting that was changed from the Marriott to the Manor House in Mason, on April 28-29, with the golf outing April 28. The silent auction will also be included, and Dick Hoback is in charge of helping to get the wine barrow together.

Ron said anyone with service project ideas for the 2017-18 year should let him know so we might add them to ones we have been doing to get grant money to aid us in our projects. Project grant requests need to be in by the end of March.

 

Ron sent out notifications after receiving word that two of our long-time members have resigned, Tom Zobrist, and Mike Gentile. We thank them for their service and wish them well and hope they return to remind us of their good fellowship from time to time. Good health and joy! We will miss you.

 

Soon Brooklynn Grace was in the caring hands of member Sara McGarvey. Brooklynn Grace

seemed an avid listener.

 President Ron Hollenbeck mentioned that we would be getting a new member, maybe as

soon as next week, and he said something about a District Governor for the coming years and that Forte would be putting out a new CD and has a release date of Feb. 11 at 7:30 p.m. at Centerville

High School. And he said that he's heard they will be going to Carnegie Hall and performing, which is a big plus for everyone...but then as Baby Brooklyn Grace was being transferred into the arms of member Kim Senft-Paras, whom we all know is as caring as Sara, Baby Brooklynn Grace had other plans and began to cry and make herself known, as to tell everyone...Hey...I'm not here for show...I'm here to be with mom, and so back she went, only she made herself known for a while, so Carrie stepped outside. (Aside...this editor's father told her that the U.S. Senate was stopped by the crying of a certain baby he was carrying as he and his wife sat in the chamber gallery, and he was asked to please hush the baby so they could hear one another. Ahem...like it would matter?) Anyway, Ron mentioned the Drive for Smiles trip to Guatemala coming up and Greg Bixler and New Albany, Ohio, and the District Conference at the end of April, and that we will be collecting shoes and socks for Shoes for Orphans Souls (Soles). And then Boyd Preston announced that our next Service Day will be Saturday, March 18, so reserve that day for your service, if you can. 

 

 

Our Sgt.-at-Arms Erich Eggers collected Happy Bucks to benefit Homefull, which helps clients get jobs and places to live, working along with St. Vincent dePaul, which provides meals and shelter to the homeless.

 He recognized our guest Baby and started the Happy Bucks donations by giving for Baby Brooklynn Grace, who had been called to the podium with mom Carrie for everyone to welcome to the club meeting. 
Carrie and baby are seen with President Ron Hollenbeck in background. As you may notice, Carrie has her eyes momentarily closed, possibly due to some lack of sleep in the past three months...or..?

 

 

Erich said he was fining Kim for making the baby cry, and good-natured Kim gladly gave her dollar in honor of Brooklynn Grace.

 

Judy Budi had two Happy reasons today, one for Baby Brooklynn, and one for her own grandmother being 101 today. Wow! What great gifts. Judy said her grandmother had been a farmer, which we all know is a life's work for women. Congrats! Joyce Young and most of the others also gave for Brooklynn, though she seemed a bit under-awed by the whole recognition as the meeting went on.

Jim Briggs gave in honor of Don Stewart doing more volunteer work, just recently becoming a member of the Centerville Planning Commission (often a thankless job, as Jim noted.)

New member Rob Hendrix gave for member Dale Berry helping him find a new office on Far Hills Avenue. 

Harvey gave for Punxsutawney Phil, the real Groundhog.

Brad gave for Carrie, and our speaker gave for our future Rotarian, and Arnie gave for his friend, our speaker, Katie, here from the Dayton Rotary, among other places. Peachy gave $5 for being "peachy" and Grandpa's Day, and Ron added $5 and Lee gave, noting, "I shoot groundhogs," being the farmer he is.

Jim Harris gave for Carrie and the new baby, welcoming them back, and Frank Perez gave, noting, as Brooklyn Grace made a bit of loud, "hey, I'm still here" crying sounds and Ron had to hush the Rotarians talking among themselves, noting that we can love a baby crying but can't hear for the Rotarians talking among themselves...Raj and Deb and John Beals gave, John for being late because of other meetings he had to attend, including one with the mayor, so he would be sure to know how John thinks about what he plans to do...or something like that..Ed gave and Don Stewart gave, noting he went to Chicago and saw some shows and Jeff Senney said he went to Cleveland last weekend and did some granddad and golf things and his foot didn't hurt him. 
Tracie talked a bit about how Homefull helps people and Brian said he lost his voice...

Poor Carol Kennard had to miss the meeting on doctor's orders to keep the germs home from her having some bronchitis and a few other microbes...which seem to be going around, as Peachy said his being out of it for a while was due to similar head and chest problems.

As you see, Baby Brooklynn Grace also enjoyed a lunch break, while quietly listening.

 

And little did she know all the attention she was still getting as the meeting was getting to a close.

 

 

Arnie Biondi introduced our speaker of the day, noting she is a Dayton Rotarian and a rookie Youth Exchange Officer for that club. As the coordinator for such officers, Arnie got to know her and said she has been involved with non-profits for 20-plus years. She grew up outside of Cleveland, he said.

She earned a bachelor's degree from UD and a master's degree from a college in Sheffield England. She has been in Japan, San Francisco, and Washington D.C and now lives in Washington Twp. with her husband. 

Katie asked how many people in the club had heard about her organization, and when just a few hands went up, she proceeded to tell us why that might be so even though the organization is the second oldest health advocacy organization after the Red Cross. She noted that fifty percent of blindness is preventable, and said that Prevent Blindness works in partnership with Easter Seals and other organizations that deal with people at the poverty level. They offer supplemental services, that provide people with a full round of care. They can provide eye exams and glasses so a person seeking work but can't afford an exam or glasses, can get glasses and be able to drive a car or truck and thus have the chance at getting a job.

Katie said that in the early 1900's it was found that they could save babies from going blind by putting drops in their eyes as one of the first things doctors did.

Prevent Blindness helps with education to prevent blindness and works with kids and has a research program. From 2000 to 2012 diabetes increased 71 percent, and blindness caused by that is a big concern. The economic impact on Montgomery County costs $250,865,212.

Prevent Blindness does not receive money from taxes or the government. Funding comes from individual donors, Katie said. She showed a view of the eye, noting that the optic nerve at the back of the eye is directly connected to the brain. She said age-related macular degeneration effects the central part of the retina and can make things appear blurry or wavy. You can have a blind spot. Wet AMD is worse than dry AMD, which is most common, she said. 

Age (65 and older), obesity, gender, race, and smoking can all make a difference in your sight, she said. Family history and alcohol use can also be factors, she said. Cataracts, which affect the lens, can cause a fuzzy look, she said. Diabetic Retinopathy is caused by diabetes and can lead to blindness. It damages blood vessels in the eye and can blur and distort vision. This went up 31 percent in Ohio in the last few years, she said.

Regular eye exams can help you stay abreast of any problems with your eyes, she said. You should have them at least once a year, she said. If you have diabetes or high blood pressure you may need to see your doctor more often, she said. Glaucoma affects your peripheral vision, but can be treated, she said.

She asked about floaters and almost everyone in Rotary raised their hand, noting they have had them. That comes from some of the retinal matter breaking off, she said, and is not unusual with aging.

Katie left a number of informational cards, one noting that The Ohio Affiliate of Prevent Blindness is Ohio's leading nonprofit public health organization dedicated to preventing blindness and preserving sight. Another info sheet gave a sign-up possibility on the 2017 People of Vision Award Luncheon Sponsorship form, for a luncheon Feb. 23 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at The Dayton Country Club, 555 Kramer Road, Dayton. Individual seats are $250 (includes $200 donation).

......And not to forget our star of the day...

Booklynn Grace filled up on some warm milk and called it a day before the meeting was over, which didn't keep club members from coming up and sharing the joy of our starring guest and her mom Carrie Lifer.

The club members ended the meeting by reciting the words of Rotary's Four-Way Test.