Recap from the June 5, 2023 Meeting.
Meeting Run by: President Naomi DeWinter
Invocation: Sal LoBianco
Welcome to our members participating in our meeting through Zoom. Melanie Alexander, Jim Stein, and Carol Webb.
Happy News/Announcements: All Happy News funds go towards our scholarship awards.
Jessica Pfab-Jess got married 2 weeks ago. It was a wonderful ceremony. Thank you, Mike Ruby, for representing Rotary at the ceremony and reception. Karen Cooney- They received 130% of the fundraising goal and started production of Blue Christmas. Congrats to all the Muscatine graduates. Graduation is Karen’s favorite School Board responsibility. Eric Thomsen- $10 Eric and his family are hosting a Ukraine family. It has been a wonderful experience. Alex Lambert- $2 for his son, who turned 2 over the weekend. Rich Dwyer- Congratulation to Keith Porter and the team at the Stanley Center for a successful Sustainability Fair on Friday and dedication ceremony on Saturday. Both were wonderful celebrations of the new building. Chuck Moody- Chuck and his wife Anne are headed to meet their son from California at Estes Park. Megan Francis- $15 for the 15 goals scored in three games by the u9 boy’s soccer team over the Memorial Day weekend. Addington Place of Muscatine June Lunch for a Cause benefitting Crossroads is Tuesday. June 13th. Please RSVP to Taylor by Sunday, June 11th.
Club News:
- Follow the Rotary Club of Muscatine’s Facebook page, @MuscatineRotaryClub.
- Our club committed to assisting a Ukraine family with needed supplies to settle in Muscatine. The family consists of Mom, Dad, and two boys. Thank you to everyone who has donated to the family. The remaining items needs are listed below.
Kitchen items:1 or two serving bowls, mixing spoon, tongs.
Bedding: One twin blanket.
Cleaning supplies: Disinfectant spray. Broom/ dustpan.
Toiletries: Toothbrush holder. Deodorant for male teens.
Furniture: Two/three lamps Window AC unit (width 19 3/4). And the pantry items (list attached).
- Save the Date: the next Mobile Food Pantry distribution is Tuesday, June 13th.
- Almost Friday Fest- Rotary will have a food tent at Almost Friday Events on July 27th, August 24th, and September 28th.
Presentation-
Jeff Kaufmann- Muscatine Community College/ Chair for Republican Party
Jeff has been a professor at Muscatine Community College for 33 years. Jeff was a former Speaker of the Iowa House and is currently the Chair of the Republican Party.
The caucus process is easier for the party with the incumbent president because that individual will usually remain the party candidate. That leaves the other party’s caucus wide open. Iowa will be first in the nation again, a status we want to protect. Tax dollars are not used for caucuses; they are paid for by each party and cost up to $800K. Following Iowa, New Hampshire runs a primary funded with tax dollars. A large portion of caucus costs are attributed to security from hackers trying to disrupt the caucus process.
You can watch the complete presentation using the link below.
Passcode: Rotary#`1
Upcoming Meetings- June 12th- Omega Senior Living Update, June 19th- RAGBRAI, June 26th- Rotary Board 23/23 Recap of Accomplishments.
Welcome to Week ONE of RI’s Month of Rotary Fellowships.
A 2021 report from the World Health Organization showed that less than 10% of women in Egypt had cervical cancer screenings in the previous five years, and, of those diagnosed with the disease, more than half die from it. Ninety percent of deaths from cervical cancer occur in low- and middle-income countries, where cancer screenings and routine HPV vaccinations aren’t available and cultural misconceptions may deter women from seeking care. United to End Cervical Cancer in Egypt, an initiative to reduce the number of cases while raising awareness and improving women’s access to preventive care, is the recipient of $2,000,000 Rotary’s Third Annual Programs of Scale Award. Rotary International President Jennifer Jones announced the Rotary Foundation Grant at the Global Network’s Annual Convention in Melbourne, Australia. According to an online report by Etelka Lehoczky, the four-year program in and around Cairo will vaccinate more than 30,000 girls ages 9-15, provide cancer screenings for 10,000 women, and launch a public awareness campaign to reach 4 million people.
“As a cancer survivor, I am proud that we are supporting this project — and especially gratified that we are taking such an important step to support women’s health,” Jones said. “By providing preventive care, we can empower women and girls with the knowledge and resources they need to stay healthy and thrive. This program is further proof that Rotary is capable of creating large-scale, meaningful projects that create lasting change.” In his own speech, Amal El-Sisi, a professor of pediatrics at Cairo University and a member of the Rotary Club of El Tahrir emphasized how the program would improve community health in Egypt. “As we gather data for the first time on the HPV and cervical cancer burden in the greater Cairo area, we are gaining crucial insights into the overall prevalence in Egypt.”
Wishing all RI Convention attendees in Australia safe journey back to their homes.
In Rotary,
Olabisi Gwamna, Club Secretary
Olabisi Gwamna, Club Secretary
Mount Pleasant Rotary,
Editor, Foundation Minute