Club Meeting December 5
ROTARY
CLUB MINUTES, Catonsville
Sunrise – December 5, 2007
President
George Brookhart opened the
meeting.
Bruce
VanDervort gave the Inspiration
14 members
were present, plus Chris Jones,
a Charter Member, visiting from
North Carolina. and Karen Perry,
Consumer Education Coordinator
at CCBC
New
Business:
-
A thank you note was
received from the
Wheelchair Foundation
for $75.00 sent by the club.
-
45 items have been accepted
for the Silent Auction
of the upcoming Bull
Roast, valued at
$17,268. 110 tickets have
been sold to the Bull Roast.
-
A good article on the Food
Ministry, CEAN, was
recognized in the
Catonsville Times
-
Richard Hiteshew praised the
fun and success of the
Dictionary Project,
which has distributed 850
dictionaries to local
schools this year
Happy
Dollars:
-
Brent
Tolbert-Smith gave 20 Happy
Dollars for Ohio State’s
return to #1 ranking among
college
football teams (mainly so it
could meet LSU, an SEC team, in
the national championship game on
January 1); installation and
hookup of propane heaters and
tank in
his farm house so the pipes
won’t freeze during cold weeks;
his stepson Martin’s catering debut for 20
neurologists at lunch Wednesday
at Johns Hopkins University
Hospital; and for the safe
return this week of his son
Colin to the States after the
conclusion of his tour of duty
with the Marines in Iraq.
-
Joe Loverde gave dollars for
the January 5 graduation of
his daughter Nicole from
Towson
State, who has already won a
teaching position; for Russ Witzke’s encouragement of Joe’s family
foundation dinner for the
homeless on Thanksgiving throughout
the year; for the death this
week of his beloved 17-year-old
cat Joe also distributed
gifts to club members by lot in
appreciation of the Club’s
support for the Thanksgiving Dinner.
-
Richard Hiteshew gave Happy
Dollars for his weight loss
from 228 pounds to under
200, requiring him to buy
new, smaller clothes. His
next weight goal is 185
pounds.
-
Rosemary Wright gave Happy
Dollars for the discharge of
her daughter from a nursing
home Saturday (best wishes
for a complete recovery!)
-
Larry Aaronson gave Happy
Dollars in honor of
Hanukah; Joe Loverde’s
dance at CCBC; the presence
of guest Karen Perry from
CCBC; and the quality of
play at the recent Raven’s
game, which reminded him of
his beloved Philadelphia
Eagles
-
Chris Jones gave Happy
Dollars for his return for a
visit; for his youngest son
turning 18;
and his
oldest son, 21.
-
Bruce VanderVort gave Happy
Dollars for Ohio State’s
football ranking and for the
Club’s response for Bani
Relief.
-
Joe Loverde gave more Happy
Dollars for the CCBC
Foundation approval of two
fundraisers, a golf
tournament on 9-15-08 and a
Motor Fest car show,
together with CEAN (food
ministry) and possibly
Rotary, on Memorial Day
weekend in 2009.
-
Richard Hiteshew gave Happy
Dollars for the coming talks
in January between CEAN and
SWES, the Southwest
Emergency Services
organization concerning
possible merger of the two
groups.
Speaker:
The speaker did not appear this
week.
50-50
Drawing:
Joe Loverde (donated to the
International Lane to host
guests coming from Bani,
Dominican Republic).
The meeting
was closed by President George
Brookhart.
Happy
Thanksgiving, folks!
Submitted by Brent
Tolbert-Smith, Assistant Scribe,
11-29-07
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Club Meeting December 12
ROTARY CLUB
MINUTES, Catonsville Sunrise –
December 12, 2007
Bruce VanDervort
greeted all effusively
President George
Brookhart opened the meeting.
Rosemary Wright
gave the Inspiration
13 members were
present, plus Joanna Betancourt
of the St. Agnes Foundation. and
Karen Paris, Consumer Education
Coordinator at CCBC
New
Business:
Joanna Betancourt
announced an upcoming dance
benefit for St. Agnes at
Cardinal Gibbons High School.
Happy
Dollars:
-
Richard Hiteshew gave $5 in
recognition of the early
repair appointment
(Thursday) he obtained for
his defective new cook
stove. It seems Richard &
Toni have bad luck with
appliances, all of which
fail within a month of
purchase (perhaps Richard
has too much juice or too
electric a personality?).
Richard also appealed for
holiday toys (new) on behalf
of the food ministry (CEAN),
especially toys suitable for
teens.
-
George Brookhart gave a
Happy Dollar in honor of his
granddaughter’s first
birthday
Speaker:
Mark
Erickson of Erickson Retirement
Communities
Mr. Erickson, son
of John Erickson, founder; said
the Charlestown Retirement
Community was the largest in the
nation at one time and is now
celebrating its 25th
year of operation. The Erickson
Retirement system has 22,000
residents on 18 campuses and 11,
000 employees (including
part-time). The system
continues to add two or three
new communities per year.
Middle income
seniors has been the market
targeted by Erickson, which is
now looking at ways to attract
seniors of lesser means. He
said there have always been many
places for seniors at the upper
end of the market to retire.
Mr. Erickson believes Erickson’s
100% refundable deposit policy
and other features have made it
attractive to seniors.
Erickson features
on-site dedicated doctors in its
health care delivery system,
which actually loses money, but
makes it up in the packaged
for-fee services that surround
it. Erickson has pioneered with
electronic medical records,
currently housing some 15,000.
Erickson also rewrote Medicare
rule books to increase
preventive and diagnostic care
in a demonstration project. Mr.
Erickson described his father,
John Erickson, as a “serial
social entrepreneur”
Erickson is also
involved in the establishment
and operation of the North Bay
Environmental Education Camp at
Elk Neck St. Park (Maryland), in
which 6th Graders
spend one week at the camp with
their teachers studying
environmental education; team
building/leadership challenges;
and character education
decisions. Many are inner-city
youths, and Mr. Erickson says
they hope to influence decisions
by 6th graders on
drugs, sex and staying in
school. The camp is also funded
by $1.7 million from the State
of Maryland. 6,000 children a
year go through the camp, which
is open to all Maryland
students. Erickson is also
exploring involvement in summer
camps as well.
Erickson also
operates a foundation devoted to
aging studies. It partners with
colleges to conduct aging
studies, donating seed money.
Falls, safe driving and aging
assessment have been subject
studies, which total one to two
dozen. Of course, Erickson has
also founded the School of Aging
Studies at UMBC, which is a
unique combination of the fields
of gerontology, sociology and
public policy, focused on the
question of how to help improve
care for people who are aging.
The school emphasizes business
management concerned with aging
and has 57 students majoring in
the field. A new graduate
executive management program has
25 students.
Erickson also
sponsors Retirement Living TV,
which has four hours daily
(12-4) on Comcast Channel 8.
This media effort is designed to
change concepts of aging, such
as:
1. Aging does
not have to be progressively
downhill. There are choices and
interventions people can make to
delay, stop and even reverse the
aging process. Such things as
regular exercise, good food and
regular social contact promote
better cognitive and emotional
wellbeing.
2. Treating
deficits can reduce or eliminate
the conditions.
3. The #1 cause
of death among Seniors is social
isolation. This can be changed.
50-50
Drawing: Russ Witzke
won the drawing.
The meeting was
closed by President George
Brookhart.
Submitted by
Brent Tolbert-Smith, Assistant
Scribe, 12-13-07
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Board Meeting December 18
Our illustrious President
George Brookhart called the
meeting to Order at 7:37 AM.
In attendance were Joe L.,
Bruce V., Cal O. and Susan
S.
Vocational Lane Report:
Cal still needs several
people for photos on
Wednesday and Thursday to be
published in the Catonsville
Times. Photos will be taken
of simulated dictionary
distributions to 3rd
graders at Woodbridge
Elementary and North Bend
Elementary Schools.
Chairman Cal also reported
that we received 4 “free”
boxes of dictionaries.
Distribution of these found
books was discussed. Good
Shepherd and RICA students
were suggested as possible
recipients. Joe will
investigate the Good
Shepherd possibility which
would take about 100 books.
Cal has applied for a grant
to the District to pay for
continued Dictionary Project
work. He also submitted a
grant request to Sam’s
Club. Cal’s great work on
the Vocational Lane has been
invaluable. His
accomplishments are greatly
appreciated.
International Lane:
Chairman Bruce is developing
an itinerary for our Bani DR
visitors expected in
February 2008 for the Bull
Roast and other interesting
activities. Possible
destinations were discussed
including DC, Baltimore –
Inner Harbor sites as well
as Arundel Mills. They will
be here for 5 days. We
expect to feed them lunch
and dinner every day. A Club
dinner has been suggested.
Host families will provide
breakfast. Treasurer Richard
has advised that funds are
available for these meals
from the proceeds of the
Club’s share of the 5K race
and the Bull Roast funds
raised.
Book Festival – Bruce
will work on this important
community event after the
holidays. Bruce S. of Sam’s
Club has generously offered
to allow the event to take
place in the Sam’s club
parking lot where on a
Saturday there may be as
many as 4,000 customers,
visitors, etc. Prior to the
used book sale, Sam’s will
also be able to store the
used books collected.
Proceeds of the used book
sale will benefit the
Dictionary Project and
Ellipsis magazine at
Catonsville High School.
President’s Report –
We will hold an (overdue)
election for 2008- 2009 very
soon. Candidates for
President, Vice-President
and Treasurer have come
forward. Other candidates
for Officers and Lane
Directors are needed.
Induction will be 6/25/08.
5K – September 2008 –
George has met with Charm
City and will meet soon with
Corrigan Sports in Elkridge.
We are soliciting estimates
to run the 5K altogether,
and to provide just race
services. A banner to
advertise the 5K would be
helpful. The Catonsville
Times will be donating
advertising. George has also
discussed the role of St.
Agnes – less than the 2
previous years and possible
beneficiaries for the
proceeds.
New Business: Joe
has an excellent idea to
surprise George. See a
member of the Board for
details.
Motion to charge E –
Happy Dollar$. A clever
idea by Joe Loverde who
suggests he will pay $1 for
sending us a happy photo of
his new cat Molly by email.
The general idea is that
such items would cost the
member $1 at the next
meeting. The idea was
enthusiastically embraced.
Unwanted Gift Auction
– January 2008 dates are
being reviewed with our
Guest Speaker Co-ordinater.
Respectfully submitted,
Susan Souder
Secretary
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Club Meeting December 19
ROTARY CLUB
MINUTES, Catonsville Sunrise –
December 19, 2007
President George
Brookhart opened the meeting.
Rick Martel gave
the Inspiration
13 members were
present, plus Charter Guest Alan
Ray and Karen Paris, Consumer
Education Coordinator at CCBC,
who has applied for
membership and was accepted
(may we say “drafted”?) by
unanimous acclamation (Welcome
Aboard, Karen!).
New Business:
-
St. Agnes Foundation will
host a dance at Cardinal
Gibbons High School on
February 2 at $20 per head.
-
The Catonsville Chamber of
Commerce is collecting
popular recent magazines to
donate to U.S. soldiers and
sailors arriving and
embarking at BWI.
-
Cal Oren reported that
“thank you” notes for
dictionaries have been
received from Halethorpe and
Relay Elementary Schools.
-
Cal also solicited
volunteers for a “photo op”
picture taking of Rotary
members at a Dictionary
Project school, Woodbridge
Elementary School, after the
meeting for an upcoming
Catonsville Times
story (See the story on p. 8
of the 12-26-07 Times
with a picture of Cal, Russ,
George, Rosemary and Ed at
Woodbridge, after
reading the p. 1 leading
story on CEAN, the
Catonsville Emergency
Assistance Network with
color (COLOR – no less)
picture of CEAN director and
Rotary member John Monck –
‘twould seem the C. Times
has gotten the message
that the Catonsville Sunrise
Rotary is doing quite a lot
of noteworthy stuff these
days).
See the story
HERE ----->
Happy Dollars:
-
Brent Tolbert-Smith gave
Happy Dollars for the
Baltimore Ravens’ Christmas
gift of a win to the
theretofore winless Miami
Dolphins and for the arrival
later that day of all three
of his boys at BWI (all
arrived safely, although
eldest Colin was sans
luggage from O’Hare
until the next morning).
-
Richard Hiteshew gave $5.00
for missing (i.e.,
forgetting) this month’s
Board Meeting.
-
Joe Loverde gave $5.00 in
appreciation for Richard
missing this month’s Board
Meeting (cheers by all)
-
Larry Aaronson gave a Happy
Dollar in appreciation of
the bounty of County
taxpayers in sending him to
yet another convention (San
Antonio)
-
New member Karen Parish gave
her first Happy Dollar in
appreciation for County
taxpayers also, giving her a
paid position at CCBC with
10 days’ paid vacation
-
Joe Loverde gave additional
Happy Dollars in
appreciation of his new cat
and getting a flu shot
-
Bruce VanderVort gave Happy
Dollars in appreciation of
coming holiday celebrations
with his sons and new foster
dogs and cats (did we note
that Bruce operates one of
the more prominent “cat
houses” in the area?).
-
Alan Ray gave a Dollar
(“Happy” is open to
question) regarding his
media son’s temporary
unemployment due to the
ongoing writers’ strike.
Speaker:
Richard
Hiteshew spoke about the
Catonsville Emergency Assistance
Network (nee Catonsville
Emergency Food Ministry)
http://www.CEFM.org
-
Richard noted
that the Food Ministry dates
back to 1984, when area resident
Alice March organized the
Catonsville Emergency Food
Network, gathering food for
those who needed it in church
basements in the area, which was
incorporated in 1986 as the
Catonsville Emergency Food
Ministry, drawing on resources
from 17 or 18 local churches
-
In 2001, the
Food Ministry was accepted by
our Rotary Club as a club
project. The club helped the
Food Ministry write new by-laws
and go on budget financing. The
club also led efforts to search
for a permanent location for the
Ministry. Space was found on
Newburg Street for 2 or 3
years. Lack of regular funding
was a problem.
-
A business
townhouse located at 25
Bloomsbury was found and
purchased by an anonymous
friend, who leased it to the
Food Ministry last year with an
option to buy. CEAN, which took
that name during the past year,
has applied to Baltimore County
for a $275,000 grant to buy the
Bloomsbury property. Approval
appears certain, and the
issuance of the grant is
expected in the first quarter of
2008. Other state and county
grants are also sought.
-
In addition
to emergency food assistance, CEAN also provides assistance to
prevent utility cutoffs, rent
help and incidental family
expenses. John Monck is the
first permanent paid employee of CEAN. An agency procedures
manual has been written, which
conforms to Federal and state
regulations.
-
For the
future, a 5-year Strategic Plan
has been formulated. Funding
has been supplemented by such
projects as bird house
collectors placed at local area
businesses, which have produced
$15 to $20 per week per box. CEAN assisted 1,000
Catonsville-area families in
2006.
-
Space at the
25 Bloomsbury premises is a
problem, which has only 1500
square feet of space available,
which was described by Richard
as a “chokepoint” for CEAN
operations with not enough
room. In addition to more space
(for which plans are well
underway), CEAN also needs a
paid coordinator of volunteers
to manage volunteer service
labor.
-
The Strategic
Plan calls for expanding the
existing building at 25
Bloomsbury. Foundation funding
appears to be the best source of
financing for this. In future, CEAN may anchor a cluster of
assistance organizations on the
west side of Baltimore County as
one of perhaps three such
umbrella groups organizing
assistance in the county.
50-50
Drawing: John Monck
(appropriately) won the drawing.
The meeting was
closed by President George
Brookhart.
Submitted by Brent
Tolbert-Smith, Assistant Scribe,
12-26-07
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Club Meeting December 26
No meeting held
this day. Happy Holidays!
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