Meeting Recap 10/20

There were 32 members present. Ann Smith represented the Chamber. Greg Nelson was a guest for the second time and will be admitted to membership next week. Ned Meisner introduced his guest, Reem Carlin, who is an event planner. The “thought of the day” was done by David Birkenstein and was that we were all lucky to be living in the U.S.A. Barb Tubekis led us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Patti Van Cleve announced her support for the local baseball team and in an effort to improve its karma she led everyone in singing “Take Me Out To The Ballgame”—(and it worked at least for the evening of the 20^th). The Club Board will be meeting on Oct. 27^th at 10:30 with District Governor Rick Rivkin, who will also be our luncheon speaker that day. John Thomas had his knee replacement operation and a get well card was passed around encouraging John to get well and to behave himself during rehab! The Club meeting on Nov. 3^rd will be at the Hadley School at 700 Elm St. in Winnetka, at which we will have a Muslim attorney speaking. Patti pointed out the two kinds of Rotary membership brochures available to pass out to prospective members. Connie Berman mentioned that the new Private Bank location (next to Homer’s) is now taking applications for employment. Brooke Peppey had requested that it be announced that the Club’s Foundation is in the process of making grants for the upcoming year; that each group needs to be sponsored by a Club member; that there are still available grants; and that  the dealing for applications is the end of next month.  Tom Nash announced that World Polio Day is October 24^th and that we still need volunteers to solicit at the 3 local train stations that day. Barb Tubekis reminded everyone of the Volunteer Center “make a difference day” on Oct. 22^nd from 9:00 to noon where they collect “gently used” items for 15 nonprofits at the Indian Hill train station. Ann Smith announced that the WYO is having its ”band together” concert on Nov. 12^th at 7:00 pm at the WYO where local bands made up primarily of  local high school kids perform for the benefit of the Rotary “end polio” campaign. Rich Lalley reminded everyone of the Operation Warm project which has already received about $500 from Club members and will continue to receive donations for the next few weeks. Rotary District 6440 is celebrating its 100^th birthday on Nov. 13^th at the Rolling Green Country Club in Arlington Heights with a dinner and  special guest speaker Samuel Owori from Uganda ( Rotary International’s president-nominee for next year).

 

HAPPY BUCKS:  Connie Berman contributed $10 in honor of her new grandson, Thomas George. Robert Mardirossian contributed $5 for having a Club President so supportive of  the local professional baseball team, although some White Sox fan in the audience asked Robert for the year that “his” team last won the World Series!!

 

David Birkenstein followed up on the Cubs theme by using the Dig n Grin as a time for discussing Cubs facts—e.g. that the Cubs were once known as the White Stockings and then the Orphans and that they were finally named the Cubs because they were young, had bear-like strength and were playful—kind of like the present Cub players.  He also gave background on the Take Me Out To The Ballgame song and mentioned that it was written for a lady back in 1908 (Katie) who liked baseball almost as much as President Patti!!

 

SPEAKER:  Our speaker was Carol Wells who is the End Polio Chair for District 6440. She has been a member of the Wilmette Harbor Rotary Club since 2011 and been speaking on the Rotary’s polio project at most Clubs in our District. Her career has been in commodities trading and yoga training.   Carol covered the background of polio infection, the current status of global polio eradication, the legacy of Rotary’s polio projects and the final steps necessary to achieve complete polio eradication. Rotary has been involved in this project since 1988. She explained how the Salk and Sabin vaccines were developed in 1955-1961 and how they have been used worldwide. Most of these vaccines are administered on an oral basis but has to been done in 3 doses to be effective. It has been difficult to get some groups of people in countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan to cooperate in these programs for political reasons. 85% of new cases of polio originate in Pakistan and most new cases in Afghanistan have been imported by refugees from Pakistan. Nigeria also has had some new polio cases in the Lake Chad Region. The infrastructure established by the polio project has also helped countries monitor and treat other diseases. For example, the Emboli outbreak would have been far worst if the polio immunization systems, disease surveillance and supply chains had not been in place. Carol mentioned that Rotary International has recently suggested that each Rotary member contribute $60 a year to the polio project, which will be matched $2 for $1 by the Gates Foundation. This will help transition polio assets into ongoing national and institutional structures to maintain post eradication efforts. Carol mentioned that small pox was eradicated by 1979 and that measles may be the next logical disease to attack.