Good day, fellow Rotarians--

I know we were all shocked and saddened by the news that Rotary International President-Elect Sam Owori passed away very unexpectedly late last week, due to complications from long-planned surgery.

Sam, a native of Uganda, was set to become RI President July 1, 2018.

 

In the wake of his passing, a memorial fund has been established to honor his many years in Rotary and the invaluable contributions he made over those years.

 

A special fund has been established as part of The Rotary Foundation's PolioPlus fund.  This provides individual Rotarians, clubs, and districts the opportunity to make a donation in his name, and at the same time to help raise funds for polio eradication--a cause near and dear to Sam's heart, and to all of us as well.

 

These contributions would be eligible for Paul Harris Fellow recognition, while at the same time recognizing the efforts made by RI President-Elect Sam.

 

As of this morning, this fund is available for those choosing to donate online, via the RI website.  There is now an option available called the "Sam F. Owori Fund Memorial to Polio".  It will soon be available for those donating via the more traditional methods as well.

 

Sam was a wonderful leader with a great smile and a huge heart. He will be sorely missed by all Rotarians.

 

I will pass along any further information as I receive it, of course.

 

Please keep Sam's wife Norah, and his entire family, in your thoughts.

 

Most sincerely,

 

Teresa Brandell

12:30 PM Gonged to order with my mouth full of two kinds of pizza. Pizza I think is a first for Rotary. Next time we need the pizza and the beer to be in the same meeting, David O'Leary. Can’t blame our new President Darwin Brewster. Even without the beer his quips were cleaver. It’s going to be a good year.

 

The invocation by Jenn Dubey thanked god for our many blessings which was appropriately followed “God bless America” sort of tunefully asking for more of the same.

 

Guests were introduced by Lisa Smith who has her old pre-presidential microphone carrying job back. I have to admit she does it with aplomb. Teresa Kmetz reported the passing of past president John Pence’s mother. Our sympathy is with him and his family.

 

Announcements were remarkable in that our ranks were swollen by a welcome addition when the Red Badge (of courage?) was handed to Alex Rusek esq. Jenn Dubey returned to the podium and informed us of an opportunity, for those Rotarians with DIY (Do it yourself) skills, offered by Habitat for Humanity. A home renovation in Williamston this Wednesday July 19 at 8:00 AM till 3:00 PM. The only tools suggested were a $30 donation.

 

Special Music. Emily Sutton-Smith told us of another Williamston Theater production, sure to be a treat for theater aficionados, called “Murder for Two” and, Yep, another production based on the premise that talented people can read the dictionary memorably. Well Williamston Theater did it again. Two remarkable talents: Mark Schenfish and Adrea Wallenbery treated us to a first act teaser including a Piano 4 hands overture with segue into 9 separate vocal dialectical parts by Adrea, in rapid sequence, underscored by Mark’s piano accompaniment. The cleaver play runs 13 July to August 20 unless held over that is.

 

Chair of the day and month, John Person, introduced us to his longtime friend and director of “Train like an Astronaut” Dr. Deborah Feltz. This is a research program focusing on exercise maintenance motivation using video gaming with a soupcon of social interaction featuring a visual robot partner personal trainer. The inspiration being a putative Martian expedition with a 2 to 3 year voyage time for encapsulated astronauts to try prevent a duplication of the crew from Wall-E I guess. Her team found that intensive aerobic exercise can be maintained here on earth for 6 months with 41 test subjects showing some increase in stamina over the control group. Study ongoing. My hats off to her and her volunteers whom she admits resembled astronauts psychologically and physically. I remember the “Y” trainer showing me the myriad workout machines without much success until I ask him “what does that machine do?” “That”, he said, “is a bench” Perfect.

 

Next week at the Lansing Center we’ll hear about the international projects sponsored by and courtesy of the Rotary Foundation. Until then live long and perspire.