OWENSBORO'S ROTARY IMPETUS

January 15, 2005


This Week’s Program…
Hal Norwood with the Louisville Bats

Last Week’s Program...
The Owensboro Rotary Club met at the Owensboro Area Museum of Science and History to celebrate the beginning of the construction phase of its Indoor Playground Facility. District Governor Bob Boudreau was on hand to help the club commemorate the occasion and brought with him the District 6710 Centennial Bell, which was used to open and close the meeting. In his remarks, Governor Boudreau mentioned that this is the year to "Celebrate Rotary" by striving to become a more effective club. He commended Owensboro Rotary for moving forward with the playground project and stressed the importance of balancing Rotary’s Four Avenues of Service.

The groundbreaking ceremony also included remarks from President Pat McFarling, who reviewed the history of the playground project; Project Chair John Kurtz, who described the playground components and design process; and Museum Director Jeff Jones, who discussed the positive impact of the playground on the museum. Jeff Ebelhar, treasurer of the Owensboro Rotary Club Foundation, provided a playground fund-raising update and encouraged the membership to continue work towards raising the additional funds ($70,000) needed to meet the project goal of $250,000. At the conclusion of these comments, the club adjourned to the second floor of the museum for a tour of the playground site that included a video presentation by Interactive Playco, the design firm for the project. The playground's installation is expected to begin around March 1 and will probably be completed within two months.

Attendance: 78

Highest Attendance This Year: 103

Invocation, Pledge & 4-Way Test: David Nelson

Fellowship Report: Roger Coomes

Introduction of Guests: Gary Emord-Netzley, guest of Sarah McNulty; Shirley Dexter, guest of Becky O’Bryan; Clay Ford, guest of Steve Ford; Tamara Cain, guest of Keith Cain

Thought for the Week: "Sometimes when we are generous in small, barely detectable ways it can change someone else's life forever." ~ Margaret Cho, weblog, 3-11-04

SPECIAL THANKS!
A special thank you to Patty Drury for coordinating the arrangements for our meeting at the Owensboro Area Museum. She worked with Noel Maddox, Jeff Jones, and John Kurtz to make the meeting a success. Many thanks to all of you!

ROTARY ANNOUNCEMENTS...
· Anyone interested in contributing to Rotary International’s long-term tsunami recovery efforts may do so through our club’s foundation. We’ll be accepting donations for the next two weeks and at the end of the month will send a contribution to RI’s Solidarity in South Asia Fund. 100% of the money donated to this fund will be used to implement long-term recovery projects that will help disaster victims rebuild their lives.
· This month OCTV is airing a program featuring Kirk Kirkpatrick, which includes a segment taped during Kirk’s presentation to our club in November. You can catch the program on Adelphia Cable Channel 51 on January 27 at 6:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 4:30 p.m.
· Tim Bradshaw is still looking for a program chair for March. Please contact him if you’re willing to volunteer.
· Indoor Playground contributions and/or pledges may be mailed to Jeff Ebelhar, Owensboro Rotary Foundation Treasurer, at the following address:

Jeff Ebelhar
100 W. Third Street
P.O. Box 1824
Owensboro, KY 42302-1824

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...     
Howard Sanders - January 18
David Blythe - January 18
David Young - January 20
Dave Silvert - January 21

ROTARY REMINDERS
· 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.
· Dave Silvert is the program chair for January.
· Robert Cook will be at the Fellowship Table during January.
· 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!

YOUR PRESIDENT SPEAKS:
What a great meeting we had on Wednesday at the Owensboro Area Museum of Science and History! Although there was no dirt to turn with a ceremonial shovel, the celebration was still in the broadest sense a groundbreaking for our Rotary Indoor Playground. We are now at the point of taking our "Big Project" from the drawing board to reality. I hope you’re as excited as I am about what will take shape on the second floor of the museum in the coming months. Fund-raising efforts have generated to date approximately $180,000 toward our $250,000 project goal. Fortunately, the playground installation can take place in phases, according to the resources we have on hand. But wouldn’t it be wonderful to be able to proceed with the complete installation? You heard Jeff Ebelhar sum it up on Wednesday, "We need another $70,000 to cross the finish line."

This project is an important undertaking for Owensboro Rotarians. It’s an investment in our community and our future. As a physical embodiment of Rotary’s service mission, the playground merits the club’s full support. Many members have already stepped forward with pledges and contributions, but we’re still a long way from 100% club participation. Have you made your contribution? If not, please consider giving whatever you can. It will take us all to make the project a success.

Have a great week!

Pat

THE FAMILY OF ROTARY…
· The club extends sympathy to David Silvert whose mother passed away last weekend.
· Congratulations to Owensboro Rotarians Steve Ford and Lynda Tabor on their recent graduation from the Leadership Kentucky Class of 2004.

JANUARY IS ROTARY AWARENESS MONTH - HOW "ROTARY AWARE" ARE YOU?
Did you know…
that the mission of Rotary International is to support its member clubs in fulfilling the Object of Rotary by:
·  Fostering unity among member clubs;
· Strengthening and expanding Rotary around the world;
· Communicating worldwide the work of Rotary; and
· Providing a system of international administration.

UPCOMING PROGRAMS
January 26 - State Representative Tommy Thompson

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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