Plaza Rotary At A Glance 11/5/2014

Posted by Nancy Shawver 
on Nov 06, 2014
 
Welcome Dr. Matt Naylor
 
At this Friday’s club meeting, we’ll hear from Dr. Matt Naylor, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the WWI Museum on "Remembering 'The Great War.'"
 
Two shots fired outside a delicatessen in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914 forever changed the world. The assassination of Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, precipitated the outbreak of World War I. Soon after the war ended with the declaration of an armistice on November 11, 1918, Kansas City leaders formed the Liberty Memorial Association to create a lasting monument to the men and women who had served in the war. The monument was completed in 1926.
 
Over the course of the next four years, the National World War I Museum, housed at the Liberty Memorial, will offer an array of programs, exhibitions and events to recognize and remember the “Great War” and its enduring impact. Naylor will tell us about some of those commemorative plans in this program.
 
 
Humanitarian Games De-Brief

All are invited to participate in a follow-up “debrief” meeting to the Humanitarian Games at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 12, at Community Christian Church.
 
To prepare for the meeting, please jot down your thoughts about the Diamonds (shiny things of readily apparent value) and Coal (will require some time an pressure to become diamonds) that you noticed about the event. This could include anything from the earliest stages of planning to the process for input … or whatever!

Our goal is to collect your thoughts quickly, both to ensure we provide the opportunity while the thoughts are still fresh and to give us maximum time to act on them. Please mark your calendar and plan to attend. If for some reason you won't be able to be there in person, please email your input to either Bob Merrigan or Terry Berkbuegler.
 
Cassy's Changing of the Guard Featured on Rotary International’s Website
 
Jerry Venters recently wrote a posting for a Rotary blog called Rotary Voices that was published on the Rotary International Website in the last few days.
 
The article is about the Harvesters service project that marked the District (and club) Changing of the Guard ceremony on June 28. The picture they used includes Bob Merrigan and some other Plaza Rotary folks.
 
The Rotary International editor also told Jerry to watch for a “how to” article about the service project in the January edition of Rotary Leader. Isn’t it great to see some recognition for our club, our District, and our District Governor Cassy Venters!
 
Here’s the intro to Jerry’s article, and the link to the full piece:  Why not spice up your next installation dinner?
 
By Jerry Venters, a  member of the Rotary Club of Kansas City Plaza
 
I’ve been a member of Rotary since 1989, and I have never heard of or participated in a changing of the guard ceremony like the one held in District 6040, Missouri, USA, this year. It had more energy and enthusiasm, participation, and fun than any I’ve attended!
The district governor for 2014-15, Cassy Venters (full disclosure here: my wife) began thinking two years earlier about how she could make the event different and uphold the Rotary ideal of Service Above Self. She chose to make it a service project with our local food bank, Harvesters – The Community Food Network.
 
Read the rest of the article here: Why not spice up your next installation dinner?
 
 
Mayo Baby Can't Wait for Hospital!
 
Remember Robert Mayo? He’s a professional auctioneer and was a member of Plaza Rotary until he moved to another club closer to his home. He recently published an amazing story on his blog – the headline tells it all: Rock Star Mom Delivers Baby on the Freeway in Kansas City, Missouri!
 
Yes, it was Robert’s wife who gave birth to their third child on northbound Highway 71 near the I-435 west/1-470 exit in the heart of the Grandview Triangle. Read all about this wonderful story here: http://robmayo.com/2014/10/30/rock-star-mom-delivers-baby-on-the-freeway-in-kansas-city-missouri/
 
Sergeant’s Report
Friday October 31
  • Rotarians in Attendance: 41
  • Visiting Rotarians: Wichai Chwakamit visitor from Thailand
  • Guests: Bill Moran, Ian Merrigan, Terri Engle, Kathy Pemberton.
  • Change for Charity: $64
  • Induction of New Member: Donovan Dodrill. Classification: Attorney—Personal Injury.  Sponsor: Jane Brown.
  • Vocational Service Award: Mike Theobald presented Heather Flick with the club’s 2014 Vocational Service Award. Diane Marty nominated Heather for her dental initiative, Oral Health on Wheels.
  • Presidential Kudos: President Bob recognized Rich Linden and Terry Berkbuegler for their leadership and commitment to planning and executing the October 25 Humanitarian Games, and he thanked all Plaza Rotary volunteers.
  • 3-minute Rotarian: Steve Johnston presented “Attack of the Shelbys—A Day at the Track” which revealed his first automobile crush, a blue 1959 Shelby Cobra.
  • Speaker: Vincent (Ace) Wagner, "Policing and Community Involvement: A New Look."  On a long flight from Japan, Ace read the book Leadership and Self Deception (2006) by The Arbinger Institute and consequently came to work for the organization as a conflict resolution trainer. He told the story how, after usual tactics had failed, Kansas City police officers, Chato Villalobos and Matthew Tomasic, approached Lynda Callon, Director of the Westside Community Action Network Center, who suggested that migrant workers use the center’s bathroom facilities. Wagner states, “The simple decision to engage with the men on the street and see them as people rather than criminals allowed a few officers to change the whole dynamic of the neighborhood and dramatically reduce crime.”  Best thought: We approach conflict with either a heart at peace or a heart at war.  Conflict softens when we see people in their humanity and treat them as community. Find Ace’s blog at: http://www.ace7energy.com