We had two important events this week…the Meeting, and The Movie in the Park.

The Meeting:

Another day another meeting.   Tom moving along through his agenda with dispatch as they do in the military.  I doubt if our Supreme Commander was in the Military.  Military School perhaps as a boy.

 We had a visitor from a small town in Texas who apparently had the same barber as Tom(see picture).  They exchanged some lively barbs about whether “Everything in Texas is Bigger”.  He was a big guy and so was the SC.  They are both “Abundant Men”.    They had healthy platefuls of food, exchanged some flags (who’s was bigger” etc. etc.) and it stopped there.  Which is a good thing.  Guys gone bad is not good.  Guys gone wild is worse.
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The Program:

Every time I see our newest Rotarian Jeami Duncan talk about something I am amazed, or “blown away” which is a term she likes to use and it fit’s her comfortable talking style.  She went to the Rotary National Convention and was “blow away” to quote her.  She went to Bangkok, Thailand for the convention and as she talked her big bright eyes and smile were fully engaged as she clicked through her power point presentation.   Most of us when we go on these Junkets treat it as a vacation.  Not Jeami.  She doesn’t go out to fancy restaurants in a upscale part of town whether she is in Thailand, Cambodia, or India(She went to all three).  She likes to go to the impoverished areas to see if there is an opportunity to create a better life for the children she meets who live on the periphery of society.  Those who have little chance at a decent life unless they have a helping hand.  She takes those “projects” on like a David took on Goliath or Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  I don’t know much about Jeami and I don’t know much about Buffy, but for now they are one and the same to me.   Have you ever seen them in the same room together?  I haven’t.  Hellooo …. Buffy.

She takes on the Giants and is little fazed by the magnitude of her task.  She pick’s at the Worlds Big Problems.  While I look to give the fella on the street corner a few bucks from time to time because I see myself in his eye’s, she looks at building schools tens of thousands of miles away for kids who would not have a chance at a decent life unless there are schools, teachers, clean water and food nearby.  That is Mercy’s Village.  Her first project that is ongoing and moving in a very positive direction.  Click the above link and go there now.  You will see this picture there, and I place here because it is so special.
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But, Buffy is seeking other causes to lend a hand to and found a few in her most recent travels. 

She wants to take on some of the “filth” in India’s slums and has already rounded up a number of people that want to partner with her and Rotary for that project.  Ideas are already been generated on how to turn some profit from the garbage that is piled 25 feet high in some areas along the river.

She also wants to take on the Children Sex Trafficking that has some of its origins in the slums of Bangkok and Cambodia.  Girls as young as 6 years old are being sold.  I don’t like thinking about this and I don’t like writing about this.  I didn’t know of its existence til Jaime made her report and she already is networking in some dangerous areas to see if she can help.  That’s what Jeami does.  She is indeed a Vampire slayer and we should help her when we can.   This diminutive little warrior told us all to be brave in our pursuitsShe is something else.  Watch Buffy go.

Movie in the Park

Speaking of something else our Supreme Commander was in all his glory come Movie in the Park Day.   He barked orders, arranged things, made decisions and speeches and overall just “tended” to things with "Officialdom".   He was IN CHARGE.  That is until Lily showed up in the golf cart and took over. 

Dean, Wayne and I worked the Beer and Wine both and the Supreme Commander was checking the beer about every 15 minutes for it’s considency of taste and quantity of the pour.  He tended to it.  He tended to it.  And then he tended some more.  I hope he got home all right, he must have been very tired with all that tending.

The attendance looked to be about the same as last year and that is during these very tough times.  Everyone I talked to loves this event.  We collected emails at the booth and received about 80.  This can be used to announce future events and perhaps as a recruiting tool for new members.

It was a grand evening and I had a great time.  Thanks Lily, and Tom, our Supreme Commanders for the night.  It's a lot of work and my hat's off to you both and all your helpers...fellow Rotarians.  

PS.  I always remind myself that this event was started many years ago by Rebecca Harrison and Chevron.  Those of you who don't know her are missing a treat.  She is pretty special and hope she is still reading these Bulletins and come back to us soon.