January 5, 2002
Last Week’s Program...
Steve Nunn, State Representative of the 23rd District of Kentucky (Barren
Counties and parts of Warren and Metcalf Counties) was introduced by Program
Chair Paddy Miller. Representative Nunn spoke to
Owensboro Rotarians about the challenges we face as individuals, policy
makers, and Americans as they relate to health care and public health. The
problems of access, quality, and affordable health care and service
represent the greatest challenges we face. The continued inflation of costs
drains resources which could be used for greater economic development and
higher standards of living for Kentuckians in particular and Americans in
general. The impact on the poor and disabled is tremendous. Representative
Nunn vowed to continue to work hard to remedy some of the problems as soon
as possible. Representative Nunn is a graduate of Transylvania University
and attended the University of Louisville School of Law. Mr. Nunn announced
he
was considering running for Governor for the November 4, 2003, election on a
"Love and Hope" platform. He worked as a White House Intern. He is in his
sixth term as State Representative and serves on the Appropriations and
Revenue Committee and Labor and Industry Committee and is Vice Chair of the
Health and Welfare Committee. He also serves on the Budget Review
Subcommittee for Human Resources, Medicaid Task Force, and the Subcommittee
on Families and Children. An active and thoughtful legislator, Mr. Nunn has
sponsored important legislation successful in helping women and children in
domestic violence,
foster and adoption services, volunteer fire departments, workers'
compensation, persons with physical and mental disabilities, and new
technologies related to improving health care. Representative Nunn has
received numerous awards and honors and most recently received the
Outstanding Legislator of the Year given by the eight states comprising the
Southern Health Association.
We thank Steve Nunn for his informative program for Owensboro Rotary and for sharing his plans to improve health care. We also thank Mr. Nunn for his conscientious dedication to identifying legislative solutions to problems facing Kentuckians.
Attendance: 110
Highest Attendance This Year: 124
Invocation, Pledge & 4-Way Test: Dean Rodney
Fellowship Report: Joy Horton
Introduction of Guests: Jan Treesh and Jean Treesh guests of Mark Treesh, and Earl Borders guest of Jim Ed Oberst.
Thought for the Week: Start with what you can do; don’t stop because of what you can’t do!
GUEST COLUMNIST: SIM DAVENPORT
Update on The Big Project - The Indoor Playground Facility
Many of you have asked about the status of the Indoor Playground Facility project. Actually, you have asked about the status of The Big Project. But, you can't do that anymore. The Big Project has a name now, and we should refer to it as the Indoor Playground Facility. You know, I wonder if we should have called it "Project X"? I digress.
First of all, let's do clarify that what project we are going to pursue has already been decided. We decided that by a vote of the full club after a yearlong process of seeking recommendations, gathering data, voting by the board and then voting by the membership. I have had more than one member suggest to me some new project we should consider, or even one of the projects we considered and voted against. The issue now is not what project we pursue, but how we pursue the Indoor Playground Facility.
After our vote in June, John Kurtz convened a committee of four couples (including himself and his wife) whose children use our existing facilities regularly and who have a great interest in a new indoor facility that would meet the needs of children, parents and grandparents. This committee visited many facilities in other cities and then summarized what they thought should be the criteria we use when designing our facility.
Because we don't have the money to build a stand-alone facility, our criteria are really what we expect any host of our site to comply with. We will use these criteria to determine which host we partner with. Our expectations are that we will have at least several organizations that will want to partner with us and will do their best to meet our criteria. Some of the criteria we will use to evaluate proposals are: space, location, staffing, maintenance, accessibility, Rotary branding, security and financial support.
Speaking of prospects. I have had at least one member complain to me about our choice of a particular location as the host site. Let's make one thing clear: We have not chosen a location. At least a dozen organizations are being sent a letter of request for a proposal to Rotary and when those are received, the board of directors will select the site based on the criteria I have mentioned. Once we choose that location, then our fund raising will begin.
Speaking of fund raising. Let's make another thing clear. We don't have the money for this project, yet. We do have $12,000 from our charitable fund. The fund raising committee must then begin to raise whatever money is needed. Where will we raise it? You guessed it. Primarily from YOU. You personally or from your company. And, we may even have to have some fund raisers. By golly, if the old timers can raise tobacco to raise money, we newbies can get out there and raise some money our way - whatever way that may be!
Let's all try to remember one thing. This project is about more than helping our community. It is about our club having fun pulling together to meet our mission of "service to others." It is about bonding our club together. Getting to know each other. Having fun. It won't be done in a year or, probably, even two. If it was, then maybe we set our sights too low. My hopes are that this project, this goal we have set for ourselves, will energize our club just as those great projects of our predecessors who laid the foundation for the great club we are today.
Sim
SPECIAL THANKS: A special thanks to the Decorations Committee for the New Year's table decorations: Ed Pulliam, Millie Killian, and Pat Berry. Each table had a special horn which was won by the member at each table who related the most exciting New Year's experience!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...
Frank Weer - January 5
Sanford Peyton - January 6
Don Raines - January 8
Mike Wallace - January 8
Michael Crowe - January 9
ROTARY REMINDERS...
• Pete Moore and David Nelson have joined the Owensboro Rotarians who have
contributed $100 to Rotary International. Now there are 13: Jack Darnell,
Jeff Ebelhar, Hugh Gilbert, Pete Moore, David Nelson, Henry Payne, Don
Pinkley, Ed Pulliam, Charles Ralph, Donna Risley, Wes Poling, Frank
Yarbrough, and Marilyn Brookman. Thanks Pete and David
and welcome to the "In Group"!
• DOOR PRIZE of a large Belgian Waffle Iron (and even the mix) was won by
Jim Ed Oberst, who said this was the way he wanted his new year to start
out--winning! Congratulations, Jim Ed!
• Don't forget to make up your missed meetings at breakfast Rotary at 7 on
Tuesday mornings at Moonlite Barbecue.
• The Program Chairman for January is Paddy Miller.
• Joy Horton will be at the Fellowship Table in January.
• If you have an email address and are not receiving the Impetus online,
please send an email to kim@mediaworksadvertising.com
and you will be added
to the Rotary email address list.
• Log on to Rotary’s website at www.owensbororotary.org.
You’ll find our
current member directory, photos of new members, past copies of the Impetus,
some interesting history, and more!
Please mail any questions, suggestions, or comments regarding the Impetus to:
Mike Wallace
MediaWorks Advertising, Inc.
208 West 3rd Street
P.O. Box 1866
Owensboro, KY 42302
Phone: 270-684-4554
Fax: 270-684-7314
Email: mike@mediaworksadvertising.com
DEADLINE FOR ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN THE IMPETUS IS THE WEDNESDAY PRIOR TO MONDAY'S PUBLICATION DATE.
UPCOMING PROGRAMS
January 16: Executive Inn Rivermont - John Bays
January 23: Community Foundation - George Thacker
January 30: Fox 7 Television - Randy Moore
2001 - 2002 OWENSBORO ROTARY CLUB OFFICERS
President: Marilyn Brookman
Vice President: Larry Mercer
Secretary: Jeff Ebelhar
Treasurer: Bob Nation
Directors: Sim Davenport, Bill Dexter, David Edds, Jr., Tom Smith, Darrell
Higginbotham, Pat McFarling, Jane Noble
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