Rotary Informer

Welcome to the Rotary Club of Petoskey via the world wide web and our fifth In-House Meeting in months! Ashley Whitney, Acting President officiated the meeting. If you did not get the chance to attend, you can watch it from this: Recording

Pledge/Anthem:  We recited the Pledge of Allegiance

4-Way Test:  Karen Ragland

Invocation:  Jane Millar

Child of the Almighty

I am a child of nature

I like to lie in the cool, green grass while I gaze at the sky looking for pictures in the clouds

I delight in jumping in puddles of rainwater in my bare feet

When I walk in the woods, I listen for the songs of birds and the rustle of squirrels as they flit from one tree to another

Building a big snowman and lying on my back in the snow so that I can make a perfect snow angel is my idea of a fun winter day

I like the feel of the sand between my toes while I build sand castles at the beach

I delight in the first crocus of spring, followed by the daffodils and then the tulips

The beauty of the gold, red and orange maple leaves amazes me.

I too am a child of nature

I watch the sky for any sign that the rain might come

I sit under the heat of the desert sun swatting flies off the face of my baby

I watch my parents being swept away by the Tsunami

While the tornado devastates my town and destroys my school,

I see eight of my classmates being killed

I see the children crippled by polio crawling through the streets of my village

I watch the crops and animals die around me for lack of water

Will I be next?

I am a child of privilege

I have a closet filled with clothing: shoes, hats, mittens, coats, suits, and dresses

I earn considerably more than minimum wage

Even in our summer home, we have indoor plumbing

My only knowledge of the feeling of hunger comes when I am on a diet

Through telephones, computers and television, I have access to the world

I see my doctor and my dentist regularly; I do not have to wait until I am sick

I own a car

I am a child of poverty

I have no shoes

I began working in the fields when I was six years old

I live in the alley by the railroad tracks in a cardboard tent

My stomach is bloated because I have nothing to eat

There is no school in my village

I am one of many who is uninsured or under-insured

Every day I walk five miles so that I can bring drinking water back to my family

I am a child of love

My parents hug me, kiss me and tell me how wonderful I am

I live in a neighborhood where everyone looks out for everyone else

I look forward to the yearly family reunions so that I can see all my relatives:

grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews

The sacredness of life and the worth of humankind are at the core of my upbringing

When bad things happen to me, there is always someone who gives me support and

unconditional love

I am a child of abuse

Because I am a woman, my body, my soul, my very essence belong to my husband

My father is a drug dealer and left when I was born; my mother is an alcoholic

After my parents were killed, I fled with other Sudanese boys to survive

The military tanks drove over my friend in Tiananmen Square because he dared to

stand up to the government

Child services removed me from my parents because they regularly punched me in the

stomach and beat me with a 2 x 4

In the name of religion, wars are raged, women are raped, children are slaughtered,

men are tortured

I am a child of the Almighty

I close my eyes to hide my tears of desperation

I listen for any sign of hope, deep down knowing

that help will not come, my life will not change

One day blends into another day—day in and day out

I am void of feeling, numb from heartache

I callous myself to avoid disappointment

Why? Why does the Almighty let this happen to me?

Are there no hands, no hearts that will reach out to help?

I am a child of The Almighty

I cannot ignore the cries for help that I hear from within my country and from around

the world

I must open my heart and extend my arms to those less fortunate than I

I must dedicate a portion of my life to making the world a better place for everyone

A place where no one dies of starvation

A place where everyone has access to potable water

A place where basic educational needs are met and everyone can read

A place where people are not crippled or maimed and do not die for lack of medical treatment

A place where all of the peoples of the world are safe from the fanaticism of a few

A place that values all human life equally regardless of gender, ethnicity, religious affiliation, cultural background

A place that everyone can call home

I have no choice.

I must do this

We are all children of the Almighty

The Almighty calls us to work for justice

The Almighty embraces us when we cry for humanity

The Almighty celebrates our enjoyment of creation

And so we pray

Dr. Jane Millar

Calendar Winners:  Read off by Bob Metzger

Calendar Winners July 29, 2020

Visiting Rotarians:  None

Guests:  Judy Swanson, Libor Ondras, Speaker

Life Events:  None

Rotary Care List:  None

Birthdays: 

Ric Loyd

Anniversaries: 

Jeff Peters – 6 Years

CLUB ANNOUNCEMENTS

No more in-person meetings for now:  We will be transitioning back to ZOOM ONLY for August meetings. While we've had 8-10 people attend in-person at the Perry, unfortunately that is not a large enough crowd to justify the staffing and expense. Thank you all for your flexibility and patience as we figure out the best way to convene our club during this challenging time. The Zoom link for our meetings is the same every week.

Centennial Projects:  Before COVID-19 our club was exploring three large service projects to do in honor of our 100th anniversary next year. The goal is to select one of those projects. We anticipate making presentations to the club on each project, in late August or early September. Stay tuned!

Walk to End Alzheimer's:  Melissa Thompson has organized a Rotary team for the Walk to End Alzheimer's fundraiser. Click here to learn more & sign up if interested. 

PROGRAM

Paul Harris Fellowship:  Dibby Smith awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship to her sister, who was present with her. Dibby made very touching remarks on her sister's life and legacy of kindness. 

New member induction:  Today we welcomed new member Andrea Coronado to our club! Andrea is the events coordinator at Crooked Tree Arts Center. She moved here four years ago from Royal Oak. When she's not busy planning events and fundraising for Crooked Tree Arts Center, Andrea loves to cook comfort food, take her dog for walks, hunt for unusual rocks and stones, and indulge in the latest true crime documentary. Welcome, Andrea!! We're glad to have you join us.

Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra:  We were treated with a viola performance by Libor Ondras, musical director of the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra (GLCO). Libor played a difficult Bach piece that definitely showcased his musical talent!! When he's not conducting for the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra, Libor lives in Grand Rapids and teaches music at Grand Rapids Community College.

Next week's program:  Gail Kloss from Women's Resource Center

Parting Shots:  Howard Richards treated us to The Trashmen “Surfin Bird - Bird is the Word” I can no longer provide links to songs because of copyright concerns. You can always look these up in YouTube