Plaza Rotary at a Glance 08-19-2015

Posted by Beth Bahner 
on Aug 19, 2015
 
 
This Week’s Speakers
Students who earned the Rotary Youth Leadership Award, “2015 RYLA Experiences.”
 
 
KC Games for Good
Sponsored by the KC Plaza Rotary Club and Saint Luke’s Health System
 
Question: What do the Bikers Against Child Abuse, the KC Kite Club, Sluggerr, Minsky’s Pizza, Kona Ice, Mad Men BBQ, a beer tent, team games, puppies, scavenger hunts, water relays, trench games, local music, KC Fire Department and KC Police Department AND YOU have in common??
Answer: The KC Games for Good!
 
The front lawn of the National World War I Museum and Memorial will be THE PLACE to be Sat., Sept. 19 from noon to 5 p.m.
Use the KC Games for Good Facebook Page to invite all of your friends and family.
 
We are actively seeking:
  • Sponsors — businesses, organizations and individuals who will to contribute to funding the event or paying teams' entry fees, 
  • Exhibitors — organizations and businesses seeking to inform attendees, partners and the public about their work for Good,
  • Partners — organizations and businesses who can provide services (food, beverage, sanitation, health & safety) or events, etc.
    Please contact Scott Weaver, MSWeaver63@gmail.com, with your recommendations.
    We are also seeking volunteers to work the day of the event. Please contact Alex Petrovic, alex3@alexpetrovic.com for available opportunities.
Football Fun for Rotary Foundation!
Football season is nearly here, so now’s your chance to combine your love for football with raising money for the Rotary Foundation. Pick one college team and one professional team, then watch your teams rack up the wins and points. Highest total score at the end of the season wins! So, you may not want to pick your alma mater. Just sayin’.
 
The cost to play is $60: $50 will go to the Rotary Foundation; $10 for the prizes. Make your checks payable to the KC Plaza Rotary Club. See Jennifer Kyle for details and an entry form.
 
The Plaza Rotary Golf Masters Have Returned
 
The Golfers: Top row from left, Bruce Moorman; Jerry Smith; Mike Petty, a longtime friend of Gary Smith; Jerry Venters. Bottom row, from left, Frank Bales, Gary Smith, Roger Samuel and Bo Steed.
 
 
 
 
Rotary Club of St. Andrews Kilrymont.  The president is the woman at front left and behind her is the secretary.  
 
“Seven Plaza Rotarians—Jerry Venters, Frank Bales, Bo Steed, Jerry and Gary Smith, Roger Samuel and Bruce Moorman—along with Gary’s friend Mike Petty (from Dallas)--just returned from nine days in Scotland where we played some of the world’s best golf courses, including the Old Course at St. Andrews, and toured several whisky distilleries, enjoying many drams along the way.  We also had the pleasure of attending a meeting of the Rotary Club of St Andrews Kilrymont and spending time with Jennifer Kyle’s father, Ian Wall.  The group practiced and practiced and practiced—and had finally perfected by the end of the week—the Gaelic toast for good health:  Slàinte mhath! • [ slanj’-uh va’ ]” – Roger Samuel
 
Not everything that happened in Scotland stayed in Scotland:
  • Jerry Venters can fall asleep anywhere.
  • We had three ATM “virgins” on this trip…Frank, Jerry Smith and Bo…all of whom needed to be shown how to withdraw money without writing a check!
And, speaking of golf. . . Pars v. Polio
The second annual Pars v. Polio Golf Marathon is now under way, and it’s time to begin asking your non-Rotarian friends for their contributions to eradicate polio.  This is also the perfect time to tell them about the role of Rotarians in this 30-year, worldwide campaign:
  • For many years prior to 1985, polio killed or crippled more than 1,000 people a day
  • In 1985, Rotary International launched “PolioPlus,” a multimillion dollar campaign to immunize the world’s children against polio
  • In 1988, the World Health Organization announced its goal to eradicate polio and joined Rotary in the campaign
  • More than 2.5 billion children have been immunized so far
  • In 2014, only 340 cases of polio were reported worldwide -- less than 1 per day
  • Today, polio is endemic in only three countries – Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria – and Nigeria has gone one year with no new cases
  • Through June 30, just 29 new polio cases had been reported in 2015!
  • Rotarians have contributed more than $1.2 billion to fight polio
  • Globally, more than $9.5 billion has been spent so far in the campaign
  • $5.5 billion is projected as the cost to certify the world as polio-free
  • Eradicating polio completely will produce an economic benefit to the world of $40 to $50 billion over the next 20 years (as reported in medical journal, Vaccine)
Your team captains – Erik Dickinson, Tommy Avenia, Terry Putney and Jerry Venters – can provide you with a template email to use in soliciting pledges and contributions.  If they haven’t sent that to you already, ask them for a copy!  Let’s End Polio Now!!
 
Vocational Service
Scott Walker is planning a vocational service tour of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local in October. Stay tuned for date and details.
 
Shoes for Orphan Souls
This is a heads up that the Shoes for Orphan Souls drive will kick-off March 4 and will run through April 22. Of course, it is never too early to catch the shoe sales! Bo Steed will serve as the Shoe Chair. Team captains are Bill Schmidt, Terry Putney and Ann Leabo.
 
 
 
Mark your calendar for these fun events:
Aug. 28, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. – KC Rotaract Club's 2nd KC Project Homeless Connect
Sept. 19 – KC Games for Good!
Sept. 25 – Kansas City Plaza Art Fair, 5-7 p.m. at Brio’s
Nov. 15 – Kansas City Chiefs vs Denver Broncos game party, kick-off 3:15 p.m. Want to host this annual tradition? See Frances Reddis.