Club Meeting July 11th
President George
Brookhart Called us to
Order with his usual
alacrity. Susan did a
half a$$ job of greeting
people because she
failed to read George’s
email in advance. Steve
Arum inspired us to
practice tolerance and
other good qualities.
GUESTS: The
Honorable H. Patrick
Stringer of the Circuit
Court for Baltimore
County visited us again.
He is looking forward to
the 2008 primary (being
over).
NEW BUSINESS:
George has sent out the
updated Speaker
Schedule. The Lurman
Woodland Theater
schedule was also made
available. Rotary
International has
adopted a policy of
requiring 50% attendance
of meetings to maintain
active membership
status.
Richard distributed
PERFECT Attendance pins
to George, Cal, Bruce
V., Susan and Richard.
Tickets for Joe
Loverde’s Dance in
October are selling
briskly. Richard has 4
tickets available at his
table.
HAPPY DOLLARS:
Richard pointed out how
terrific the Catonsville
Fireworks were again
this year.
Larry A. is grateful to
the taxpayers for
sending him to FL.
Susan is happy that her
son Kyle is being paid
by the taxpayers to work
at the Social Security
Administration.
Rosemary related how she
had helped a client.
Brent is delighted Wah
Chen is returning to the
US after being away for
3 months; his middle son
who has Asberger’s
Syndrome obtained an
Internship at a law
firm, and his son Colin
is well in the Anbar
province.
Judge Pat Stringer was
happy to have been in 4
parades on July 4.
Bruce S. was happy that
he listened to his Dad
about a boat that he
bought about a year and
a half ago. His Dad told
him to buy a new fuse,
and when the engine
quit, Bruce was happy to
be able to get going
again. Sales at Sam’s
club are up 13% and
profits are even higher.
Sam’s Sales Associates
were happy they got
bonuses.
John Monck was sorry to
be late as he was stuck
behind a school bus
practicing stops on
Frederick Road. His
daughter presented him
with a Grandchild.
Tom enjoyed an annual
race until he pulled up
lame (again). He’s
getting an MRI on his
knee. He a great visit
with his grandson, but
poor Tom had to get a
tetanus shot.
George bid on fresh
vegetables from Brent’s
farm and he’s enjoying
great food, including
fresh eggs. George is
cooking again.
SPEAKER: Joe
introduced us to Dave
Copenhaver, Director of
the Ed Block Courage
Foundation. He works on
daily operations of the
Foundation and the
annual gala to honor
Courage Award
recipients. Each NFL
team votes to honor 1
player. Players
appreciate being
recognized by their
peers.
The Foundation works
with abused children. Ed
Block was a Trainer for
the Baltimore Colts. The
first winner was Joe
Ehrmann. He told us many
anecdotes about
inspirational moments
with NFL players and
children at St.
Vincent’s Home for
children in Baltimore
County. St. Vincent’s
has about 75 – 80
children at one time.
There are now 18 Courage
Houses in NFL cities,
the latest in Green Bay.
Unfortunately there is
an epidemic of child
abuse.
50/50: Cal was
the big winner but
didn’t pick the 9 of
Clubs.
Respectfully
submitted,
Susan Souder,
Secretary
Return to top of page
Board Meeting July 17th
President George had his
troubles getting Order out
of this Breakfast Bunch –
Bruce, Richard, Joe, Susan
and Cal.
INTERNATIONAL LANE –
Bruce reported that he
purchased the 2 roundtrip
tickets for Steve and him
just before the recent fare
increases. They will be
visiting the Bani DR Friday
8/24/07 thru Wednesday
8/29/07. They will attend
the Bani Rotary meeting
Tuesday night before
departing. They will be met
at the airport and will stay
at the house of the
President of the Bani Rotary
Club.
Bruce V. showed us a
thermometer poster with the
funds already raised and the
amount still to be raised.
The Loverde Family Fund
pledged $250.
Bruce Siddens has said that
Sam’s Club will provide a
matching grant of $1000. A
grant proposal is being made
to the Presbyterian Church.
Bruce is cat-sitting ($10 a
day for 10 days) and
foregoing lunches until the
trip to earn another $200.
He hopes to purchase some
school supplies in DR for
the orphanage. There are
many sugar cane fields
around Bani.
Perhaps a press release will
be provided to Keith Meisel,
the Editor of the
Catonsville Times. A
District grant is not likely
because our Club contributes
very little.
COMMUNITY SERVICE –
We must hear from John
Galley about the Arts &
Crafts Festival.
VOCATIONAL SERVICE –
No report from Cal.
TREASURER’s REPORT –
As of today, the Club has
$3.074. The Foundation has a
$5,000 CD which meets one of
our financial goals to put
funds aside that will
generate interest income and
will provide a cushion. The
Foundation has paid all of
the funds raised to the
Catonsville Emergency Food
Ministry to CEFM. We have
also paid the deposit for
the next bull Roast to
Martin’s.
Rabble-Raising Richard (who
is Rabid about the Bull
Roast) applied for the
Secretary’s job at District
held by Ed Underriner who is
retiring. We figure the
District Officers nearly had
a stroke even thinking about
it. Richard may accept a
position with the CEFM as a
Development Officer under
contract. Should he accept
the position, there is a
potential conflict of
interest with him also
serving as our Treasurer.
Either someone volunteers to
take over the Treasurer
position or we must consider
formally waiving the
conflict of interest in
writing.
PRESIDENT’s REPORT –
Replacing George and Susan
as Officers is a critical
goal for this year. Someone
must be identified as
President-Elect to start
learning the position and
preparing for 2008-2009. In
the most exciting fashion,
Cal said he would meet with
George and Joe to consider
this terrific opportunity to
serve as President-Elect.
VICE-PRESIDENT REPORT
– Joe and George explored
the idea of having meetings
the first and third
Wednesdays of the month. We
are informed that to do so
would violate our Rotary
International Charter
status. The membership
requirement that is now 50%
allows Members to attend
half of the time if they
wish. Our liberal
interpretation of that
policy means that attendance
at all Rotary events, Board,
and lane meetings qualifies
as a meeting attendance.
It was suggested that
members help the President
by running one meeting a
month to reduce the burden
on him. Joe volunteered to
help George by running one
meeting a month.
AUGUST 2 there will be a
FIRESIDE CHAT with the
District Governor and
District Governor Elect with
the President and
president-Elect of each
club. Considering the
location, it seems that we
should have at least one
person in attendance, maybe
even an Officer or Officer
To Be.
SECRETARY’s REPORT –
There was a general
consensus that a really good
writer who attends many
meetings would be a good
candidate for Secretary.
Minutes NEED NOT be as
detailed as these are.
Susan will ask Brent if he
would consider at least
sharing the job as
Secretary. Susan is willing
to fill in as needed.
Respectfully submitted,
Susan Souder, Secretary
Return to top of page
Club Meeting July 18
Our pragmatic President
George Brookhart called the
meeting to Order. Steve Arum
greeted all of the folks who
arrived after he did.
Ruminating Russ offered the
Devotion.
GUESTS: Wah Chen,
wife of Brent Tolbert-Smith
returned from Hong Kong
where she was on assignment
for her employer Voice of
America. Jessica Ross,
editorial assistant to Becky
Mangus of the Business
Monthly, visited us.
Happy Dollars: Susan
was happy to see her long
time friend Becky Mangus.
They first met each other in
the late 1980’s in the
Executive Women’s Network.
George also was happy to see
Becky who did marketing work
for him some time ago.
George was also happy to
note that CNN & Money
Magazine named Catonsville
one of the !)) best
communities in the US. We
were 49. Only 2 other
Maryland cities made the
list.
Russ told us that the
Catonsville Senior Center
has a 14 year old passenger
van to sell.
Becky Mangus was happy that
she and Jessica were happy
to be talking to our Club.
The Business Monthly does an
annual section devoted to
Rotary Clubs in the area
served by the paper which is
mostly northern Anne Arundel
and Howard Counties. They
are interviewing each Rotary
club President to report on
the kinds of activities in
which that Club is involved.
They were to speak with
George after the meeting.
There will even be pictures.
SPEAKER: Helen
Bronstein, Director of the
Catonsville Senior Center
for 11 ½ years spoke to us
about her background and the
Center she runs. She was
kind to note that in
reviewing our Web site
(still the best in the
District!) she was very
impressed with the bios of
our illustrious membership
(even Russ, I guess).
She is proud and happy to go
to work every day. She told
us of the many activities of
the Senior Center including
the Fitness Center and the
Computer Lab and its Chef.
There are no membership
fees. Donations are
requested for meals and
classes.
Volunteers are needed. There
are 3 staff for 580 Members.
The Center is open Monday
thru Friday from 8:30 to 4.
The Senior Center is also
interested in Partnerships
with groups like us. Maybe
for the Book festival.
Seniors can be avid readers.
The senior Center has a
beautiful Butterfly Garden.
There are outdoor concerts,
a softball team.
50/50: Russ won it
and donated the proceeds to
the Catonsville Senior
Center. Turns our Russ is on
the Council for the Senior
Center.
Respectfully submitted,
Susan Souder, Secretary
Return to top of page
Club Meeting - July 25th
Our Head Wizard George
Brookhart called this Club
Business Meeting to Order.
Sherry Welch inspired us
with a prayer from a native
people in Canada.
HAPPY DOLLARS: Joe
was happy his youngest
daughter had turned 25 and
her auto insurance rates
will decrease.
Larry A. was happy to have
visited Dundalk last week at
taxpayers expense. He
survived his wife’s family
reunion.
Sherry advised that she was
happy about the club’s
corporate membership policy.
She will be sending her New
Director of Marketing Joanne
to attend meetings.
Richard was happy that He,
George and Peter were all
mistaken about the level of
attendance at this week’s
meeting. There were 16
members present; exceeding
all of their guesses.
Tom is visiting South Dakota
and Mount Rushmore which is
very cool.
Brent was still happy about
Wah Chen being home. They
had a wonderful weekend
visiting old and new
friends. He was glad not to
have delivered kidney beans
to George by mistake. And I
think there was something
else (sidetracked by bean
jokes).
George was happy about his
granddaughters, Hannah and
Lauren.
Dawn was sad that her
grandfather had passed away
last week. She was pleased
that all five of his
grandchildren had gathered
together for the first time
in their lives from
Maryland, LA, Colorado,
Oklahoma, and Afghanistan
and attended his funeral.
NEW BUSINESS: M/S/P
spend $490 for an ad in the
Columbia(?) Business Monthly
magazine Annual Rotary
insert. A lengthy discussion
to consider the uses for our
Club of such an ad. We use
them to give to prospective
members, guests, speakers to
explain what Rotary does
locally. There was a concern
that the distribution area
for the magazine is Howard
County, and Northern AA Co.
MARKETING WHIZ Peter
volunteered, after a
fashion, to produce the add.
We hope it will contain the
dates of events we have in
2007 – 2008.
SEPTEMBER 29 is the Fall
Into Fitness 5K. Volunteers
are needed. Please contact
George.
INTERNATIONAL LANE:
Bruce V. and Steve A. are
traveling to Bani DR 8/24 –
8/29. They will stay at the
house of the Bani Club
President. They will also
attend a Bani Club meeting.
They hope to either take
school supplies for children
in a local orphanage or to
buy the supplies in Bani.
Bruce described his
Herculean efforts to raise $
for this adventure. $770
from the Arts & Crafts
Festival, $300 from the Book
Festival, $250 from the
Loverde Family Foundation.
Approximately $1100 is a
goal for this first trip.
Approx. $1000 for travel,
$500 for school supplies. A
couple of grant proposals
are pending including one to
Sam’s Club.
Bruce hopes to double the
amount donated in our next
project. He would like to
fund travel for Bani
Rotarians to visit our Club.
COMMUNITY SERVICE:
John Galley has agreed to
head our efforts at the Arts
& Crafts Festival. We have
not yet paid for a booth.
Craig Sigismundi will loan
us the equipment. Volunteers
are needed to staff the
booth.
VOCATIONAL SERVICE:
Being an energetic guy, Cal
is looking for a project
besides the Dictionary
Project, especially a middle
school project. The Evening
Rotary Club would like to
partner with us on the
dictionary Project. We are
looking at distributing
books at the private schools
as well as public schools.
TREASURER’S REPORT:
We have $6600 in the
Foundation. $5,000 is in a
CD at 5%. The Club has
about $3700. Our semi-annual
dues are due.
BULL ROAST:
Richard’s goal is to have
Silent Auction items value
average $200. Last year we
had several $500 items which
sold. Bob Mason has said he
will donate a low jack. Tom
Medicus will donate monthly
flowers for a year (hurray!)
We will have a fabulous door
prize – 42 inch LCD Hi Def
high resolution television.
There will be raffle
tickets. Richard wants a
chocolate fountain, there
will be DeWalt tools,
jewelry. St. Agnes
Foundation will be a major
sponsor. Richard’s goal is 5
corporate sponsors.
Corporate sponsors get a lot
of good benefits – 30
tickets, a booth, ice
sculpture, people walking
through corporate arches to
get into the Bull Roast. We
plan to use the entire first
floor of Martin’s West.
Richard was very
enthusiastic in the face of
a crowd amazed at this
vision for success.
Respectfully submitted,
Susan Souder, Secretary
Return to top of page
