Pledge: President Joan Camire
Prayer: Gerri Lewis
Song: Bill McLaughlin (Welcome back!)
Brents Card Gamer Winner: Marty Drobiarz
Sergeants Report: Rick Beck
Raffle Winners: Jess, Mike V, Charlie
Happy Bucks: Lots for Paul Moore's successful shoulder surgery
Announcements:
Gerri: Ron Scott had to be admitted to Yale- New Haven Hospital after taking a fall. We all wish Ron a speedy recovery.
Pres. Joan: The Scholarship Committee met last week to discuss our future course. More discussion to come.
Brent: Golf Tournament - We must have new tee sponsor signs submitted by the Monday before the tournament which is just a few weeks away! The bright yellow registration forms are available for distribution. Make sure you put your unique code on your applications for proper credit for our team competition. You can also download the forms on this website. Past sponsors who were covered by absent members will be assigned.
Program: Keith Wescovich
Keith just spent about 2 weeks in India in the city of Meris which is about 2 hours north of Delhi. Keith is a marketing consultant and while there, got to do some Rotary business as well. The Indian government was gearing up for a major Polio vaccination campaign. There are areas especially in Pakistan where the disease is still present and it is thought to spread through the movement of nomads and migrant workers. Keith attended a meeting with some of the local government officials on administering the vaccine. The United Nations, Rotary International and the India Health Ministry are all collaborating on this effort to erradicate Polio. This year, they a successful effort took place by having Muslim victims of Polio reach out to a suspicious population to get more people take the oral vaccine. One big day was held followed by 2 weeks of follow-up to find those who missed the vaccine day.
Keith visited slums and while things have greatly improved over the past decade, there is still a lack of sanitation, electricity and basic services. The slums are smaller having been broken up and there are more schools (Rotary helped build some) to try get people functionally literate. Keith visited the local lending library that had many books from the US. They did a good job cataloging and organizing the books that are read mostly for practice reading. Older Indians say things are much better than before. Children are being fed and people aren't dying in the streets. Keith says things are improving rapidly.
Keith talked about customs and a discussion about arranged marriages took over. It sounds like a business proposition for the 2 families who are about to be united through marriage. What does each family bring to the table and how does it effect one's cast in the society - another prevalent aspect of the Indian culture.
md
