OWENSBORO'S ROTARY IMPETUS

October 16, 2004

This Week’s Program...
Keith Free – Owensboro Community Development

Last Week’s Program...
Will Carpenter, GIS Manager for the City of Owensboro, provided Owensboro Rotarians an overview of geographic information system (GIS) technology and examples of its practical application. GIS is a computer system used to develop a complete picture of a region by building and associating layers of information. GIS provides a means for manipulating, analyzing and presenting data tied to a spatial location. This location can be expressed in a variety of ways – e.g., latitude/longitude, a zip code, a place name or geographic description. GIS is basically linking a database to a map.

According to Carpenter, GIS has a number of benefits that include better information management, higher quality data analysis, the ability to run “what if” scenarios, and improved project efficiency. He explained the organization of the Owensboro/Daviess County GIS Consortium and described the following GIS projects currently underway.
• Aerial photography - plans call for digital coverage of the entire county by the end of this year.
• City sanitation routing - GIS is being used to evaluate and improve load balancing and routing of the city’s seven garbage trucks.
• OMU utility distribution mapping.
• Fire department map book – GIS is being used to associate water pressure information with hydrant locations and lay out driving routes.

Thank you, Will, for a most interesting program.

Attendance: 79

Highest Attendance This Year: 103

Invocation, Pledge & 4-Way Test:  Mike Hobson

Fellowship Report:  Jim French

Introduction of Guests: Mike Filbin, guest of John Bryenton; John Froehlich, guest of Donna Risley; Sale Gordon, guest of Gavin Roberts; Earl Kilbourne, guest of Becky O’Bryan; Art Bickers, visiting Rotarian from Henderson, KY  

Make-ups:  Frank Wagner; Martel Wightman at the Marshall County club; Hugh Gilbert, two make-ups aboard the M/S Chernyschevsky Cruise Ship on the Neva and Volga Rivers in Russia

Thought for the Week:  “Every problem has a gift for you in its hands.” ~ Richard Bach

YOUR PRESIDENT SPEAKS:
Can you believe it? With the month of October half gone, we’re well into the second quarter of our Rotary year. I thought this might be a good opportunity to share with you some of the actions of your Board of Directors. One of the board’s initial challenges this year proved to be adoption of a budget. For the first time in many years, both Rotary International and District 6710 increased membership dues. Faced with these increases, and a slight increase in our weekly meal cost, the board decided to revise membership charges for the first time since 2002. On your next statement, you’ll notice that quarterly dues have increased by $5.25. The weekly meal charge per person has increased by 75 cents.

Most Rotarians would agree that relevant, interesting programs are an important factor in a club’s success. At its meeting last month, your Board of Directors adopted a set of guidelines for guest speakers. The guidelines include general information about the club, our meetings and program expectations. Monthly program chairs will be encouraged to distribute the guidelines to guest speakers. If you’d like to look them over, the guidelines are posted on the club Web site.

Other items slated for board consideration in the coming months include promotion of our Indoor Playground project and publication of a club directory.

By the way, we have a great Board of Directors! After working with these folks for the past three months, I’ve come to appreciate just how fortunate we are to have a group of directors who share a sincere commitment to the club and its ideals. They certainly have made my job easier, so I’d like to take just a moment to thank them for their insight, dedication and hard work.

Have a great week!

Pat

ROTARY FACTS...
Did you know…
that as a Rotarian, you’re in good company! Rotary has attracted a number of intellectual, cultural, industry, and governmental leaders. Here are just a few of the famous:
• Neil Armstrong, astronaut, USA (RC Wapakoneta, OH)
• Walt Disney, animation filmmaker, USA (RC Palm Springs, CA.)
• Guglielmo Marconi, inventor and Nobel Prize laureate in physics, Italy (RC Bologna)
• Thor Heyerdahl, explorer and oceanographer, Norway (RC Larvik)
• Thomas Mann, novelist and Nobel Prize laureate in literature, Germany (RC Munich)
• James Cash Penney, founder of JC Penney Co., USA (RC New York, NY)
• Emilio Pucci, couturier-designer, Italy (RC Florence)
• Sigmund Romberg, composer, USA (RC New York, NY)
• Donna Shalala, secretary, Health & Human Services, USA (RC Madison, WI and RC Coral Gables, FL)
• Adlai E. Stevenson, ambassador to the UN, USA (RC Springfield, IL)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...   
David Hawes - October 17
Paul Brooks - October 18
Jim White - October 19
Jack Darnell - October 20
Glenn Taylor - October 21  

ROTARY ANNOUNCEMENTS...
• There will be a District Membership Meeting Thursday, October 21, at 6:00 p.m. in Central City at the Central City Country Club. If you’d like to attend, contact Pat McFarling.
• Have you made your pledge or contribution to the Indoor Playground? Forms are available at the Fellowship Table and may be turned in to Pat McFarling, Sim Davenport or any member of the fund-raising committee. Contributions and/or pledges may also be mailed to Jeff Ebelhar, Owensboro Rotary Foundation treasurer, at the following address:
Jeff Ebelhar
100 West Third Street
P.O. Box 1824
Owensboro, KY 42302

ROTARY REMINDERS...  
• Gary Noffsinger is the program chair for October.
• Marilyn Brookman will be at the Fellowship Table during October.
• Don’t forget to make up your missed meetings at Daviess County Rotary, 7 a.m. on Tuesdays at Heavenly Ham Restaurant in Towne Square North.
• If you have an email address and are not receiving the Impetus online, or you have changed your email address, 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
October 27: Richard Stallings – Home Builders Association

2004 - 2005
OWENSBORO ROTARY CLUB OFFICERS
President: Pat McFarling
Vice President: Bill Dexter
Past President: Jeff Ebelhar
Secretary: John Kurtz
Treasurer: Bob Nation
Directors: Tish Correa-Osborne, Todd Inman, Patty Drury, Tim Bradshaw, & Noel Maddox

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