Local Business Leaders on Values Panel

Program Chair Margaret Curtis presented club member Joe Davis. Joe seen on the right of this photo moderated a panel of local small business owners who talked about operating a business using values that Rotarians incorporate in the 4 Way Test. From left are Russell Hopper who is a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor and operates Questhouse. This is a facility that treats persons with addictions. The lady in the photo is Tressia Bandy. Locals see her on TV selling the mattresses that the family business manufactures right here in B.G. Carl Chaney is the gentleman in the white shirt. Carl is a dairyman who expanded into added value marketing and agritourism a few years ago. He and his wife Debra opened an ice cream parlor on the corner of their farm near the Woodburn community in southern Warren County. They received the 2008 Small Business of the Year award from the Chamber of Commerce. Joe Davis on the right owns Gerald Printing. It was a delight to hear from all of these business owners.
One of the things I brought away from the discussion was how important members of the extended family were to these people. Tressia said her grandmother took the time to encourage her everyday. I asked if her grandmother lived with her and she replied "she lived next door". Joe was raised by an Aunt and Uncle and Carl by his grandmother. Russell says that a lot of people today do not have a core value system. Obviously the four people on our panel were instilled with essential moral values from an early age by key people in their lives. This was such an inspiring program and we thank each of the panel members for taking part of their day and sharing with us.

District Governor Chuck Cicchella Visits

We were honored to have our current District Governor Chuck Cicchella visit our club this week. Chuck had a very up beat take on the future of Rotary in our District. I especially liked plans for our District Conference to be held at Holiday World. Chuck said the meeting will be dedicated to the memory of our own Janette Boehman's Dad, Tom Duncan Reed. Tom was well known in Rotary International and by Rotarians around the world.

The photo above is a presentation by the District Governor to our own Club President Kevin May. It is some kind of promissory gift for a country ham but I missed the details. Chuck did say that Kevin had been a big help to him and had come up with the idea of a District Conference at Holiday World. Chuck said last year's conference in Frankfort was poorly attended. Hopefully this next conference will be a lot of fun and better attended.

Rachel Reetzke in Chengdu China

Rachel spoke to our club a few weeks ago. A summary of her visit can be accessed by requesting it from the blog archives. Rachel had problems with her Power Point presentation that day and said she would forward some of the photos from her experience in China. Thank you Rachel for these great pictures.

Rachel Reetzke at Chengdu Autism Center

Rachel Reetzke w Group of Chinese Students

Rachel Reetzke at Great Wall of China

Rotaract Getting Established on WKU's Campus

This week's meeting was about the new Rotaract chapter on Western's campus. Rachelle Phillips Shults spoke at our regular meeting and brought us up to date. The fledgling club sent 150 pairs of shoes to a village in Kenya. This was greatly facilitated by Rotarian Cheryl Kirby-Stokes who works with her husband there each summer. (Cheryl will have baskets from those villages at our meetings for sale soon.) The Rotaract club is scheduled to meet first and third Wednesdays in the first floor of the Cravens Library at 4:30. [It is in the Leadership Office just as you enter the building off Normal Drive.] In the photo are John and Elise. Elise thought a good local project would be to provide toiletries for battered women centers. The club is planning on exploring that.

Yesterday afternoon our President Kevin Mays with faculty Adviser Sally Ray, Rachelle, Communications Professor Colonel Jim Allen and myself (Ken Embry M.D.) assembled with this year's Rotaract group for their second meeting of the year. Kevin spoke to the club for a few minutes and encouraged the members to light the Rotary fire on campus. There were nine club members present. This year's officers are Chris Neiswinger, Treasurer; Sarah Moore, President both of these two from Evansville, Indiana. The Vice Presdient is Jade Lynn. The group discussed organizational and project issues. Nearly everyone present participated it is obvious that the individuals in this group will be leaders in their chosen fields. If you get a chance visit a meeting.