Greeter Schedule

Note: Members are reminded that if you are not able to serve as a greeter on your

scheduled date, please arrange for another Rotarian to take your place.

 

 

 

Why I Am A Rotarian

 

I'm Past District Governor Maria Victoria Nanette Garcia, 2004-05, the first lady district governor of RI D3850 and my spouse is PDG Ramiro "Chick" Garcia, 1995-96.   "Celebrate Rotary" was my RI theme.

 

My district is in the central Philippines, and we are the "First District Governor Couple in Asia."  I am a third generation Rotarian, which is the same with my spouse.

 

I started as a Rotaractor in my younger days, then became a Rotarian's spouse, then a Governor's spouse , then a charter member of my club in 1996,  which was organized during my husband’s year as a governor.

 

In my 8th year as a Rotarian, I became the first lady district governor, which was an honor.  It was the best time of all as Rotary was celebrating its 100th year.

 

I've always wanted to share my Rotary leadership journey in with others.  Thank You! 

 

Rotary molded me from a shy homemaker to a district governor during the most important Centennial  Rotary year.

 

Ma. Victoria Nanette Garcia

Governor - 2004-05

RI D3850

 

 

Attendance:

 

        Active Members = 8o      Honorary Members = 6

 

        Attendance Goal: ≥ 60%   Present = 45      Absent = 35      Percentage = 56.25

 

 

Guests:

Debbie Maynard, guest of Marc Meachum

 

Larry Ratliff, Princeton Rotary

 

Ashley Godwin, guest of Quasir Raza

 

 

Make-ups:

Thanks to the following member(s) for making up a missed meeting:

John Beckett, two times at Bluefield, Virginia

 

Announcements:

● Our club will hold a "Rotary Day at Hardee's" fund raising event Oct.16, 2008 at the Hardee's on Bluefield Avenue from 11 a.m. until closing. Hardee's will donate 10 percent of their sales to Bluefield Rotary. Volunteer servers are needed; see Jim Ferguson. Bring your significant other for two meals that day, and encourage your relatives, friends and neighbors to dine at Hardee's that day, and help us earn money to put back into the community.

 

● Don’t forget the Club Fundraising Cruise set to sail after the first of the year. Information is posted on the Web site. Information can also be obtained from Laura Gooch at AAA.

 

● Anyone with an idea for a future program please let Karen Harvey know.

   

● Rotto: Norris Kantor held the lucky ticket, and took Instant Winner Prize, which was an invitation for all members to attend the second Road Kill Cookout at Denos Demopoulos' home on October 21. Norris didn’t draw the Joker, so the jackpot is still growing, and is now at $453.

 

The Program:  Brian Chechhio, the Wade Center

 

Fellow Rotarian Brian Chechhio, who runs the Wade Center, spoke to us this week about the state of his organization three years into its operation.

 

He told us the Wade Center exists to address the physical, emotional, spiritual and intellectual needs of at-risk children and youth in our community, and he said a common question he is asked is, “how do you decide which children are at risk?” “In our culture today any child, I believe, is at risk,” Brian said. Rich or poor, despite your religion or your race, today’s culture provides substantial threats for all children, and the Wade Center’s mission is to reach out to youth in the community to help them in those four areas.

 

The Center provides assistance for youth after school during the school year and a summer camp while school is not in session. A main focus is to help students read at grade level and to follow the rules. A student that can’t read is at a substantial disadvantage in all school subjects, and if their behavior lands them in in-school detention or gets them suspended from school, they obviously are not going to learn satisfactorily, he said. The Center works closely with schools to monitor students’ behavior so that problems can be identified and addressed in the after-school program, which runs from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. each school day, and the Center insists on a strict discipline regimen for participating youth. He said that parents are generally supportive of these efforts.

 

“Wildfire” is the Center’s “church youth group,” he said: “It’s a typical youth group for kids that aren’t typical.” The group’s meeting features a rock band and other youth-oriented elements, but also has a Christian message. The purpose is to get kids off the street, and help guide them away from negative activities.

 

Looking toward the future, Brian talked about efforts to establish a “Teen MOPS” (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers), in association with Focus on the Family, and is aimed at young, unmarried mothers. The process of getting this program up and running is a slow one, Brian said, and is still six months from completion. He said that in Mercer County, one of every nine babies born has a teenage mother, showing the need for this program.

 

The Center also plans to build skateboard park, and this project is in the planning stage, he said. Using part of the Wade School property, they will pave part of it, fence it and install security cameras to create a supervised area for skateboarding that will be open to all skateboarders everyday.

 

Second Chance Enterprise is a project designed to transition people into full-time work through a “business” at the Wade Center where they will learn what it takes to get and keep a full-time job, and also learn personal skills, such as budgeting, dressing for work, etc. At the end of the six month training program, participating area employers have agreed to hire the recommended participants if there is a job open.

 

To help people understand what poverty feels like, the Center also has a “poverty simulation.” Over a weekend, participants become homeless people and learn first-hand what it’s like to be a homeless person. “It’s a life changing weekend, teaching people what it is like to be the guy who doesn’t have anywhere to live,” he said.

 

The Wade Center is doing important work in our community. It needs donations of both money and time. If you would like to donate either, contact the Wade Center at 304-323-3777.

 

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Editor: James H. Shott, III - editor@rotary-bluefield.org 

Editor Emeritus: James M. Godwin, Jr.