Prayer.O God, whose summer schedule never includes vacation from your sovereign surveillance over the world, and your merciful vigilance over us in daily life, we are comforted by that knowledge. We are challenged in response to not abandon our own attention to the responsibilities of which we are stewards.
Grant your blessings to us as we partake gratefully of the gift of food and share fully in table fellowship. Then go with us as we go out to meet the opportunities for service awaiting us in places unknown at the moment. Amen.
Club Announcements:
Birthdays and Anniversaries:
Birthdays:
None
Wedding Anniversaries:
Kevin & Jennifer Hughes August 15
Mike & Shirley Farrell August 15
Steve & Beth Orlansky August 16
Luther & Ginnie Munford August 18
Tommy & Mary Dent August 20
Membership Anniversaries:
Hugh Johnson 20 years, August 18
Social Media.Want to keep up with the service activities and members of the Rotary Club of North Jackson? Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter (@RotaryNorth) and Instagram (rotarynorthjackson)
Rotary Foundation Thought. This week’s Rotary Foundation Thought is about how your club and district can support the Rotary Peace and Conflict Studies Program – a professional development program that is strengthen-ing the leaders of today for peace.
Beyond supporting the program financially, clubs and districts can actively recruit qualified applicants for each
bi-annual program session. Each district can submit as many candidates for each program session as they deem qualified. As one alumnus recently put it, “The program
has been nothing short of fantastic. I couldn’t ask for more.” Give Peace a fighting chance by opening the door for candidates in your District.
Billy Brumfield House. The Rotary Club of North Jackson is serving supper once a month at The Billy Brumfield House, a Stewpot Community Services ministry. Our club serves on the 1st Tuesday of each month. Interested members need to meet @ Baker Donelson located at the corner of Eastover Drive and the I-55 North Frontage Road @ 5:15 PM and then travel together to Billy Brumfield. Also, if you are interested in sponsoring a month, the est. cost is $180 for the food. Mike Dawkins is project chair and can be reached @ 601-351-2428 or mdawkins@bakerdonelson.com.
Between the Lions. Please remember to sign up for Between the Lions. During the school year, we read weekly to pre-Kindergarteners at William Walton Elementary School on Bailey Ave. It is a wonderful experience! The children are truly information sponges and very willing learners. Contact Jenny Price (662) 213-1294 for more information. Our reading for the 2017-2018 school year is complete, but please sign up for 2018-2019.
Member Care Committeereminder: for anyone who needs assistance getting to a meeting, please call Luther Munford at (601) 985-4418.
Thinking of Proposing a New Member?
First, discuss with Classification Committee (Paul Miller) He will provide a membership application, check classification availability and discuss occupational qualifications.
Rotary Membership Occupational Qualifications Applicant should be one of the following:
A corporate officer
A Professional (Attorney, CPA, Physician. Engineer, Architect, etc) A Proprietor
An Agent of a reputable company
A Manager or Supervisor of a department or section of a business
Rotarians, don't forget to like the club's Facebook page to stay up to date on the latest happenings. Search us out at Rotary Club of North Jackson or click the link:
“Service above self; they profit most who serve best.”
P. O. Box 9528, Jackson, MS 39286-9528 www.northjacksonrotary.org
Posted on
Changing public perception of homelessness
Rotaract members in the Taipei Tin Harbour club talk with a homeless person as they deliver a single-meal home-packed “Bento Box.” Members are trying to change people’s stereotypes of the homeless.
By Elyse Lin, Rotaract Club of Taipei Tin Harbour, Taiwan
Being a part of the Rotary family for years, I’ve learned to be more aware of social issues in our community. Having taken part in a number of service projects, I started to think about what we could do to make sustainable change in the city.
Homelessness is a complicated issue in Taipei. Most people have a stereotype of the homeless that makes it difficult for them to find a job or break out of the vicious cycle they are in. We decided to take action to meet the basic needs of people living on the street and change people’s perceptions about the homeless.
Club members prepare the single-meal boxes for delivery.
In “The Stone Soup Project,” we raised money from our families, friends, colleagues, and the community. After buying ingredients using the money we raise, we cook together, make Bento Boxes and share with the homeless. However, the project is not just about giving away these single-portion home-packed meals. We sit down, listen to their stories, and seek to under-stand more about the difficulties they’re facing. It is always rewarding to hear friends telling us they have dismissed their stereotype of the homeless after participating in the project.
It is never easy to tackle social problems. We definitely had to overcome challenges. We talked to organizations that have been working with the homeless for years; we evaluated different locations for the project considering the negative reaction of neighbors; and we talked to homeless individuals to get a full understanding of their situation and real needs.
When it came to promoting our effort, we realized that the essence of taking action is to be part of the action. And it is this that further inspires people in the community to join us. As People of Action, we learn, we grow, and we apply that knowledge in our service to the world.
It all started with one thought of making a difference. The spirit of People of Action lies in our hearts. We see the problem and take real steps to deal with it. It is always hard to make a change by oneself. However, when we gather people together with a common desire to do good, we make the impact of our action even greater.
Members can learn more about the People of Action campaign in the Brand Center. Not a Rotarian? Learn how Rotary members take action to make lasting change and how you can join us.
Scott Waller, President & CEO, Mississippi Economic Council (MEC) spoke to the Rotary Club of North Jackson at the club’s August 7, 2018 meeting. The MEC is the Chamber of Commerce for the State of Mississippi. The main purpose of his speech was to discuss impediments to the economic growth of the state, which he described as infrastructure needs and the education of its citizens to fill the jobs that continue to be available. He pointed out that by 2020, two years from now, 65% of all jobs will require postsecondary education and to quote: ”we must connect the dots and use postsecondary education and training to help create a qualified. and prepared workforce ready to fuel Mississippi’s economy.” Further, he said that Mississippi’s high school graduation rates are improving. They have gone from 71.1% in 2012 to 83% in 2016. Still not good enough, but improving nonetheless. Kindergarten reading readiness scores have likewise improved from 54% in 2015 to 65% in 2017 giving further hope for improved graduation rates in the future.
Mr. Waller is shown during his talk in the first accompanying photo and following his talk with Club President Anna Powers (left) and Club member Jon Turner (right).We thank him for his talk and for his service to the State.
The Rotary Club of North Jackson honored four multiple Paul Harris fellows at the club’s August 7, 2018 meeting. In the accompanying photos Foundation Director Suman Das is shown at the lectern honoring the four recipients: Joe Dove, Wyatt Emmerich, Ann Sommers, and Jon Turner. He is also shown presenting the four honorees with the customary glass of sherry that the club presents to all new and renewing Paul Harris Fellows. The four honorees are shown in the third photo with President Anna Powers and Dr. Das. Congratulations to these members and thanks to them for their continuing generosity!
Dr. Micah Walker and Ms. Becky Russell spoke to the Rotary Club of North Jackson about Direct primary Care at the Club’s July 31, 2018, meeting. Direct primary care is a reversion to the older method by which you pay a physician a monthly fee to provide direct primary care to you and your family. The monthly fee is $69 for an individual under the age of 60 years, and $89 for individuals 60 years of age and over. A family costs $149 for two adults and one child.
Ms. Russell is a public relations consultant who subscribes to direct family care, is a graduate of Auburn University, and a native of Mexia, Texas. Dr. Walker is the founder and CEO of NewCare MD, LLC, a direct primary care provider in Madison, MS. He received his medical training at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, MS.
The program that Dr. Walker and Ms. Russell were describing is for primary care, emphasizing the availability of the physician and the personal care provided. They also discussed supplemental catastrophic care such as that provided by Liberty Health Share.
Ms. Russell and Dr. Walker are shown in the accompanying photos prior to and following their presentation. We thank them for the presentation, for their ideas, for their service to our community, and for their time responding to numerous questions following the presentation.
Bob Miller, Public Works Director for the City of Jackson spoke to the Rotary Club of North Jackson at the Club’s July 24, 2018 meeting. Mr. Miller joined the City in the fall of 2017 after completing 9 years in a similar capacity in New Orleans. He said that he joined with four specific goals: solve the problems with the City’s water billing system; improve the city’s streets, address the consent decree problems on the sewer system, and address the drainage problems where citizens are being flooded by creeks that overflow during periods of heavy rains.
Mr. Miller is a native of Louisville, KY. He is a graduate of the University of Louisville and of the University of Indiana. Prior to going to New Orleans, he was CFO of the Louisville water system.
Regarding his four priorities, Mr. Miller said that when he arrived, approx. 23,000 of Jackson’s water, sewage, garbage customers were not receiving bills. He negotiated a new contract with Siemens to rectify the billing issues. Now, 55% of the allotted time into the contract, 56% of the previously “stranded” customers are being billed. He also announced that today the city is announcing that the previously suspected lead problem has been corrected.
The Downtown streets were paved prior to the April 2018 grand opening of the two new museums. Currently, two potholes repair trucks are in operation repairing potholes and he is bidding-out for a third crew to accelerate the work.
Mr. Miller met with EPA Region 4 this spring, opened up to them about the city’s problem meeting the Consent Decree provisions and hopes to renegotiate the decree later in 2018. Per Mr. Miller, many of the sewer problems occur because restaurants dispose of grease into sewers rather than have it properly disposed of. The grease in the sewer clots and plugs up the sewers causing sewage overflow.
We thank Mr. Miller for his talk and for his service to our City. He is shown during his talk and following it with Club President Anna Powers and club member Charles Lindsay who introduced him in the accompanying photos.
Mr. Miller was accompanied in the meeting by Ward 7 Council Representative Virgi Lindsay and her assistant Alice Patterson. We thank them for attending.
Rotary Club of North Jackson Donates $30,000 to local charities
The Rotary Club of North Jackson recently donated $30,000 to 16 local charities. The local charities are: Stewpot Community Services, Gateway Rescue Mission, Magnolia Speech School, Habitat for Humanity, The Salvation Army, Operation Shoestring, Mississippi Blood Services, Mississippi Food Network, Brain Injury Assoc of MS, Alzheimer's Association, CARA Animal Shelter, Harbor House of Jackson, Children's Hospital of MS, The Jackson Zoo, Mustard Seed, and Make-A-Wish Mississippi. Shown (from left) Greg Campbell, President-Elect; Don Roberts, Admin. Secretary/Treasurer; Anna Powers, President; Lee Carney, Secretary; Matt Monsour, Director; Uriel Pineda, Treasurer; and Jeff Adcock, Director.
Penny Chiasson, owner of Genesis Hypnosis, Nurse Anesthesia, and pain management hypnotist spoke to the Rotary Club of North Jackson at its July 17, 2018 meeting. Chiasson informed club members and guest how hypnosis can help with pain management, ways to relieve stress and end bad habits. We thank Ms. Chiasson for her presentation and for her service to patients in Mississippi. She is shown in the accompanying photos during her speech and following it with Club President Anna Powers (left) and Club Director Matt Monsour (right), who introduced her.
Greg Campbell, Vice President & President-Elect, Rotary Club of North Jackson spoke to the Club at its July 10, 2018 meeting about the Rotary International Convention he attended as a representative of the club June 23-27, 2018. In his presentation, he discussed his arrival, the accommodations, and the activities associated with the convention. He also discussed a tour that he took of Niagara Falls including a helicopter tour during which he took many pictures.
Greg discussed the fact that the convention was attended by a princess, three prime ministers and a former first lady of the United States. Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Princess Anne, of the United Kingdom, expressed thanks to Rotary for taking a central role in working to eradicate polio. Former first lady of the United States Laura Bush challenged Rotarians to keep early childhood education a priority.
Helen Clark, former prime minister of New Zealand and one of the architects of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, joined 2017-2018 RI President Ian H.S. Riseley for a discussion about gender equality and the crucial link between the environment, poverty, hunger, and peace. In a video message, Haitian Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant addressed the convention before the announcement of the creation of HANWASH, a collaboration between Rotary and the Haitian government’s water agency that will tackle that nation’s water and sanitation challenges.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, accepting Rotary’s Polio Eradication Champion Award, thanked Rotary for working with governments worldwide to eradicate polio. Rotarians play a critical role in the fight to end polio, Trudeau said. “Together we will make that happen. Prime Minister Trudeau also pledged USD 75 Million for finalizing the eradication of polio, making Canada’s past and committed spending for polio eradication USD 640 million.
Sixteen former Rotary presidents and their partners appeared on stage, and Rotary’s next president, Barry Rassin, motivated convention goers by speaking on his 2018-19 theme: Be the Inspiration.
And in a gracious gesture to his successor, Rotary’s 2017-2018 President Riseley finished his closing remarks by urging listeners: “It is vital that we be the inspiration.”
In addition to focusing his remarks on the convention, Greg related a mix-up in his convention credentials in which a different Greg Campbell was identified as a chemical engineering educator. Thankfully our Greg was able to get his proper credentials when he arrived at the convention facility.
Greg reported on the 6 focus areas of Rotary: Promotion of Peace, Fighting disease, Providing Clean Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene, Saving Mothers and Children, Supporting Education, and Growing Local Economies. Rotary’s efforts to eradicate polio have been immensely successful with the no. of worldwide cases being reduced from 350,000 annually to 22 in 2017. Those 2017 cases were in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Nigeria.
Vice President Greg is shown during his presentation in the accompanying photograph. We thank him for his presentation and for his service to our Club.
