This week we welcome ESU softball coach April Huddleston and ESU baseball coach Bob Fornelli to our club meeting. We will learn more about each of their upcoming spring seasons.
It is with much excitement and anticipation that I announcement that Rotary International's President for 2016-2017 John Germ will be attending our 100 Year Centennial Celebration in Emporia, Kansas on Wednesday May 31, 2017. Please mark your calendars. This is a big event and it has taken much collaboration for him and his wife to be with us.
Jane Blocher, who has represented the American Red Cross for the past 15 years, covers 19 counties in Kansas, including Lyon County. Jane, who is a Rotarian in Lawrence, told our club that the Red Cross is divesting themselves from owning real estate, and is still maintaining an active presence in Lyon County by mobilizing the power of volunteers with disaster preparedness, blood donations and other programs. Emporia is the location where they by far receive the largest volume of blood donations in Kansas.
Jane encouraged our club to enlist in their Home Fires Campaign, which involves getting more smoke detectors in homes in Emporia. The goal for this program is to reduce by 25% the number of fatalities from home fires by the year 2020. In the U.S., there is a home fire every eight minutes, and families have only two minutes to escape after a fire is discovered. The Rotary board will be discussing the possibility of volunteering to assist with this program at a future board meeting.
Rotarian Robin Clark, Executive Director of the Emporia Public Library, told our club that 15,000 people come to the library each month. It adds a lot of value to our community. From e-books to computer classes to book discussion groups to creating to works of art. Thanks, Robin for a very informative program.
As of this afternoon, the Salvation Army Project is finished! We (members of the Rotary Club and the Kiwanis Club) worked from Thursday to Thursday building a cabinet and priming/painting. Thank you for participating to better the Salvation Army building for their ministry there. It is a super improvement to the building.
[1] a 10 foot commercial stainless steel serving table
[2] a new double pane front window
[3] a large cabinet to hold groceries and other supplies, (lead by Ron Kloppenburg's Kiwanis crew)
[4] and prepping-priming-painting the 40x40 foot multipurpose room.
Barbara Wry, Marshall Miller, and I will take care of some details that remain, like some ceiling tiles and plug plates. Sue Klamm is going to do the four window treatments, and possibly vertical blinds.
Dr. Golzalo Bruce, an Emporia State University professor charged with recruiting and hosting
international students at ESU, brought two international students with him to our Rotary Club. Neucasha Greene from The Bahamas, and Chie Zenno, whose home is in Japan, both are ESU students who visited our Rotary Club. ESU's goal is to offer a way for ESU students from other countries a way to immerse themselves in a friendly community and in the American culture. It is the experience that they have in the U.S. and in Emporia that matter to international students. They all came many miles from their homes to ESU. Dr. Bruce helps them to make local connections, and in so doing make everyone feel a part of a greater global community.
The general public is invited to most all of their many activities. When asked by international students come to ESU, the Neucasha and Chie
both confirmed that ESU offers safety, a small campus, a business school with a great accreditation, and an affordable cost of living.
Rotarian Tom Mais was recognized by Richard Duncan, Rotary Club Foundation Chairman, Rotary Club President Teresa Maley, and Rotary International for his contributions to the Rotary Foundation as a Paul Harris Fellow + 3. Congratulations, Tom!
Announcing a new Rotary Club membership drive running January 5 through June 7.
On June 7th, the winner will receive $100.00 in Chamber Bucks
Each time a new member is inducted into Rotary, the sponsoring Rotarian will have their name entered into a drawing. The more members you bring in, the more chances of winning the drawing. First Place will get $100, Second Place will get $50 and Third Place will get $25 We have a lot of great projects to accomplish and we need members. Applications with the breakdown of dues are available from every Board member. Remember, new members get reduced meal prices for a limited time.
Benefits of being a member…
Great Friendships, Awesome networking, Interesting programs, the feeling of accomplishment in our community, State and the World. Doing good, feels good. Think of it like this… Yes you pay for your meals even though you may not be able to attend every week, but that money goes to fund some amazing projects.
Rotarian Robin Clark, Executive Director of the Emporia Public Library, told our club that 15,000 people come to the library each month. It adds a lot of value to our community. From e-books to computer classes to book discussion groups to creating to works of art. 
