Calendar of Events

May 3, 2016

Lunch is served at Noon, Meeting begins at 12:30pm

Welcome Melinda Brown, Circuit Director 
Guardian ad Litem Program


For more than 30 years, the Guardian ad Litem Program has served as the region’s exclusive advocate for children in the court system. Volunteer Guardians ad Litem are court-appointed special advocates whose sole job is to serve as the voice of the child — a voice that is separate from the child’s family members, foster care providers, attorneys or social workers.

Guardians ad Litem make a profound impact on the children they serve and the communities those children call home. In addition to providing an estimated tax savings of $2 million on the First Coast alone, children with a Guardian ad Litem are:

  • More likely to be adopted
  • Half as likely to re-enter foster care
  • Substantially less likely to spend time in long-term foster care
  • More likely to have a plan for permanency
  • More like to perform well in school
Volunteer Guardians ad Litem undergo comprehensive training to learn how to observe children, parents and foster families. Their objective recommendations are critical to a judge’s analysis and final ruling on the fate of a child. In 4 out of 5 cases, all or almost all of the recommendations made by a Guardian ad Litem are accepted by the court.

Guardian ad Litem Program provides all of the necessary training and program coordination for its local volunteers. The Guardian ad Litem Program is supported by the Guardian ad Litem Foundation of Florida’s First Coast, Inc. in its efforts to recruit and train volunteers, and to provide simple necessities that other families might take for granted — such as new shoes, clothing, and school supplies.

Every day, 1,900 children become victims of abuse or neglect in the United States. Guardian ad Litem Program of Florida’s First Coast is always in need of committed volunteers who are willing to be a voice of compassion and care on a child’s behalf.
  
Trivia Questions of the Week: 
1.  Can you identify a rich, creamy sauce of butter, egg yolks and lemon juice that is named after a European country?
2.  How long is a marathon running race?
3.  In which decade of the twentieth century did each of these fads or fashions reach their height? A. Bathub gin b. the beat generation c. Bra burning.
4.  He gained early fame in the 1990's TV series Growing Pains, won his first acting awards for the 1993 film What's Eating Gilbert Grape, and starred in the biggest money-making film of all time. Who is he?
5.   What is the basic, general difference between libel and slander?
 Answers at the bottom. 

ROTARY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED AT THE 
PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP ON FRIDAY, MAY 13TH
Our Rotary District 6970 is honored to have been selected to be the Players Championship Charity of the Day on Friday, May 13th.  This means, among other things, that we Rotarians have the opportunity to promote Rotary by distributing Rotary information and an End Polio Now lapel pin at the entrances to the Stadium Course.  DG Fel Lee has chosen our Satellite member Meghan Hotchkiss to coordinate volunteers.

Volunteers willing to commit to 3 1/2 to 4 hours for a morning or afternoon shift will be admitted free to the Players that day. So, work part of the day and enjoy the tournament the rest of the day.  This opportunity is limited to a total of 30 volunteers; so, if you are interested, don't delay committing. We must have firm commitments.  Feel free to contact Satelliter Meghan Hotchkiss at meghan.hotchkiss@gmail.com or Bob Massey at RMasseyJr@comcast.net.

Rotaract News!   
Rotaract meets at River City Brewing Company on the second and fourth Thursdays.

Satellite Club News!
Satellite meets the second and fourth Mondays of each month! Upstairs at San Marco Indochine.  5:30pm social and 6:00pm meeting. 

For more info visit our Facebook Site:  Rotary Satellite Club of South Jacksonville

Please welcome our newest Members!
At our last meeting, President Bissell received three new members to our club once they received their charge by PP Lanahan.  The newest South Jacksonville Rotary Members are:

  • Tom Signorello is sponsored by John Pope
  • Mark Matthews is sponsored by William Harrell
  • Benford Samuels is sponsored by Dean Scott
More to come on each of them as we will spotlight them in upcoming editions of the Gear

Rotary Club Of South Jacksonville - Upcoming Events:

May 4, 2016 - Craft Social
Marcus Haile has graciously agreed to host our next Craft Social on the evening of May 4th.  Marcus invites all Rotarians and guests to visit Cathedral Arts Project at 207 North Laura Street, Suite 300 (corner of North Laura and West Adams) to enjoy an exhibit of work from Jacksonville University faculty.  This promises to be an exciting evening as our Craft Social will be concurrent with First Wednesday Art Walk.  More details to follow.

May 10-15, 2016 - TPC Week - all regular day job activities have been cancelled!
TPC Stadium Passes to Benefit Rotary Charity.  We now have TPC Stadium passes (daily) available to everyone.  The cost is $45 per ticket and there is no limit on how many you can purchase.  $25 of every ticket comes back to the Club for OUR Charity fund. This is an excellent deal and a good way to enhance the Club's charity contributions. See Patti to have the tickets added to your Rotary invoice.
 

June 1, 2016 - Alhambra Dinner Theatre - Blithe Spirit!

Blithe Spirit - This Broadway and West End favorite comedy follows the tale of socialite and novelist Charles Condomine, who invites an eccentric medium and clairvoyant, to his house to conduct a séance, hoping to gather material for his next book. The scheme backfires when he is haunted by the ghost of his annoying and temperamental first wife, Elvira after the séance. Elvira makes continual attempts to disrupt Charles’ marriage to his second wife, Ruth, who cannot see or hear the ghost. Written by Noël Coward, this is a funny and endearing show! 

Week 43 Rotary Minute... Our District Governor's Message:  



During the first week in May, our district membership team will conduct a Rotarian Satisfaction Survey. District Membership Co-Chairman Mike Darragh will spearhead the effort.  All District Rotarians will receive an email containing a link to the survey.

The goal of the survey is twofold. First, determine what club characteristics our Rotarians most value and second, give clubs direct feedback from their members so they can better create value for their members.

Two years ago, we conducted a similar survey and were able to give valuable feedback to 30 of our clubs.  The feedback is confidential, and goes ONLY to the club leaders for their planning purposes.

My hope is you will see the value of taking a few minutes out of your schedule to provide honest feedback on your current Rotary experience. Your valuable feedback will ensure we continue to be one of the best districts in the Rotary world!

UPCOMING EVENTS:

May 13-15, 2016: District Conference and District Assembly in St. Augustine

For more on these and all other events in District 6970, please go to www.rotary6970.org.

Yours in service to Rotary,
Fel
Fred“Fel” Lee
District Governor 2015-2016

Trivia Questions Answers:
1.  Hollandaise  2.  26.2 miles 3.  a. 1920's, b. 1950's, c. 1970's   4.  Leonardo DiCaprio, starred in Titanic  5.  Libel is written or printed or broadcast.  Slander is only spoken.