’Round the Wheel

July 29, 2007

President’s Message

Many members have taken the “Rotary Shares” theme to heart, individually as well as collectively.  Dennis Filangeri discovered an opportunity to form a bowling team for a weekend that would result in both a fun outing and a chance to raise funds for Big Brothers and Big Sisters.  He is getting a good response to his idea and has several prospective “Roto-Rollers” lined up!

Bobby G came to us with a proposal to get involved with a playground project at NALA.  President Cliff Marcek and last year’s board agreed to take it on as a club project.  Paul Wexler and his wife, Sally, got so involved that Sally was invited to join their board!  Paul reported last week that they have located funding between $30,000 and $40,000 from sources outside our club!  He added that Vickie Wille sits on the board of a charitable foundation that donated thousands of dollars to the project.  We all know that Paul Workman used his vast network to bring in talent and funding to this worthwhile endeavor.

Richard Peterson has found a project involving the families of our deployed military that a Southern California Rotary club is leading.  He will no doubt have more info and some suggestions shortly as to how he would like to see us involved.

I would like to thank these Rotarians for their interest and commitment.  As a club, we have limited financial resources and try to ensure they are used wisely and always towards our stated purpose of aiding women and children in need first.  As individuals, with our networks and our ability to think outside the box, we have no boundaries, as these folks have demonstrated.  I am proud to be a member of a group of such a dedicated people.

Upcoming Programs and Events

This Week

July 31 - Betty Evans from Make A Wish Foundation of Southern Nevada.

This Week’s Service Team

Greeter – Cliff Marcek

Pledge – Paul Wexler
Inspirational – Paul Wexler
Musicologist - Dennis Ortwein

Next Week

August 7 – State Sen. Bob Beers will tell us about activities in Carson City in 2007 and giving us some insight into what to expect in 2009.

Mark Your Calendar

August 16 – Fireside at the home of Graciela Masso. More information will be forthcoming.

August 25 – District-wide Membership Development Seminar and Foundation Humanitarian Grants Seminar, both at the DoubleTree Club Hotel in Las Vegas. For more information, go to District 5300’s calendar.

Last Week’s Program

Bill Martin, Executive Committee Chairman for the Water Conservation Coalition, and Patrick Watson, Conservation Service Administrator for the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA), gave a report on the current water crisis in Las Vegas as well as a long-term prognosis.

Most water used outdoors is lost while 75% of water used indoors can be reclaimed. Most lost is due to landscape irrigation.

Currently water supplies in Lakes Powell and Mead are below 50% of capacity. However, do to the efforts of SNWA and the Water Conservation Coalition, we should have sufficient water for our growing needs going out 30 years.  [Ed Note: drink plenty of bottled water and stay indoors]

Other News and Announcements

Back To School Bowl - Big Brothers Big Sisters of Sisters of Southern Nevada’s Back to School Bowl For Kids’ Sake fundraiser will take place on August 11 and 12. This is a great opportunity to get out in public where we can be seen doing community service—not just writing checks.

Our club can sponsor a team of 5-6 bowlers (more participants and we can have more than one team). The team can have members, family, friends…anyone participate

Sponsorship is $100 per bowler. This can be raised in many ways. Anyone, club, business, etc and sponsor. Some groups collect $10 from 10 people to sponsor a bowler. If each club member put up $10, we could raise $450.

There are four time slots: Saturday Aug 11, 12 –2 and 2 –4 and Sunday Aug 12, 12 –2 and 2 –4.

Several folks already expressed an interest in participating. 

If you would like to participate as either a bowler, sponsor, or both, please go online here and sign-up by Monday, July 30 so the club can determine whether to make a commitment or not. Feel free to register non-member guest bowlers if you like-Just put your initials in the box so we know to whom they belong.

Placemat Ads – The new placemats are being put together.  If you wish to have your ad on our placemat, please contact Greg Sinacori. 

Featured Rotarian: Judith Filangeri

Judith Filangeri co-owns Core Business Enterprises LLC (www.cbe-usa.net), which provides small business consulting and outsourcing, specializing in web and e-mail marketing. She serves as Vice President of Everything Else*.

In 1990, Judith was invited to join the Rotary Club of Wallkill East, a breakfast club in New York’s Mid-Hudson Valley.  She’s subsequently been in the Rotary Club of Metairie Sunrise in Louisiana, and the Rotary Clubs of La Mesa Sunrise and San Diego Uptown Sunrise before joining the Las Vegas Northwest club.  Obviously a morning person.  She’s a Sapphire member of the Paul Harris Fellowship and a member of the Bequest Society.

Judith was attracted to Rotary by the opportunity to provide service to the community.  Judith says, “I love being part of Rotary's wheel of service. I love the fellowship and sense of community Rotary membership brings.”

The general public tends to think that Rotary and other service clubs are stodgy, but Judith is constantly amazed at the "can do" attitude and the breadth and scope of projects in which Rotary is involved. She says, “There are so many things I would not have gotten to do if I weren't in Rotary: in Italy, I toured the private galleries in the Uffizi, and had lunch and fine wine with a genuine prince; served beer in New Orleans while listening to great jazz; served beer in San Diego while listening to great Cajun music. [Is there a theme here?] Without Rotary, I’d never have helped build a vegetable garden for elementary school kids, painted a house (and anyone close enough to get spattered), or joined the Three Kings handing out Christmas gifts and toothbrushes to probably every single child in Tecate, Mexico.  I’ve made so many friends I wouldn’t have met any other way than at a Rotary meeting.”

Judith would like to see the Northwest club get involved in more hands on projects here in Las Vegas, because she feels hands on projects build good will and better friendships better than anything else.

*see Gilbert & Sullivan’s Mikado, you won’t be sorry.

Rotary Information

GSE Team Leader Selected  - Pamela Hayes, District 5300 GSE Liaison, announced that the GSE team leader for District 5300's exchange with District 9790 in Australia has been selected.  The GSE committee had a very difficult decision, choosing among many well-qualified candidates, but were pleased to announce Larry Skaggs of the Green Valley/Henderson, Nevada club as this year’s selection.  You can read his bio here.

All club members are reminded that the District still needs your help in finding the 4 non-Rotarians who make up the GSE team with Larry.  Go to the District website for more information.

Featured Rotary Member – Once a month, the Featured Article in this newsletter will be on an individual LVNW Rotary club member.  The focus will be on the member’s views on and participation in Rotary.  Complete the short questionnaire today! Click here.  Members can download a PDF version from the download center.

On the Lite Side.

In 1986, Mike Hogan was on holiday in Kenya after graduating from Northwestern University. On a hike through the bush, he came across a young bull elephant standing with one leg raised in the air. The elephant seemed distressed, so Mike approached it very carefully. He got down on one knee and inspected the elephant's foot and found a large piece of wood deeply embedded in it.

As carefully and as gently as he could, Mike worked the wood out with his hunting knife, after which the elephant gingerly put down its foot.

The elephant turned to face the man, and with a rather curious look on its face, stared at him for several tense moments. Mike stood frozen, thinking of nothing else but being trampled. Eventually the elephant trumpeted loudly, turned, and walked away.

Mike never forgot that elephant or the events of that day.

Twenty years later, Mike was walking through the Chicago Zoo with his teenaged son. As they approached the elephant enclosure, one of the creatures turned and walked over to near where Mike and his son Owen were standing. The large bull elephant stared at Mike, lifted its front foot off the ground, then put it down. The elephant did that several  times then trumpeted loudly, all the while staring at the man.

Remembering the encounter in 1986, Mike couldn't help wondering if this was the same elephant.

Mike summoned up his courage, climbed over the railing and made his way  into the enclosure. He walked right up to the elephant and stared back in wonder.

The elephant trumpeted again, wrapped its trunk around one of Mike's legs and slammed him against the railing, killing him instantly.

Probably wasn't the same elephant