Rotary Meeting
Tuesday April 11, 2006
President Ellen Book presiding

A welcome to our honored guests:
South Miami City Commissioner Marie Brits-Cooper, Hannah, &
Gene Milo.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Rotarians Extraordinaire!

Linda Kaplan, Donna Gaines, Larry Sherry, Barbara Kornblau, Diana Phillips, Pansy Graham, Wendy Lapidus, Chris and Jennifer Marsh, Dan and Penny McCrea, Lydia and Harry Barsh, JoAnna (for the racks!) and Leo Haskins who so wanted to be there…

A great big kiss for your hard work and sweat on the hottest day of the year. You made it happen!!

And a note of gratitude to the most stylish Secretary in the district: Doreen Reitnauer, you have dressed so many…

On a sad note, our deepest sympathies go to Leo Haskins, whose mother passed away…

 “HASKINS, MARY E. (Felton), was born in Key West on December 6, 1912 and was received into the loving arms of our Father on April 7, 2006. She was preceded in death by her husband Leo and her son, Randolph Grey. She is survived by her son Leo M. Haskins, Jr. and his wife, Dora; three grandchildren, Stephen Leo (Rita), Randy Gray (Diane) and Richard Gregory (Sheri); six great- grandchildren; her nephew Richard Felton (Linda); her niece Connie Sands (Leon); great nephew Keith Johnson (Linda); great-great niece and nephew Jessica & Jason Johnson. Visitation will be held at Old Stone Methodist Church in Key West on Monday, April 10 from 2:00 to 3:00 pm. The funeral will follow at 3:00 and then burial at Key West Cemetery. The family would like to thank Vitas Hospice of Miami for their loving care. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Old Stone Methodist Church in her name. Dean-Lopez Funeral Home, Key West entrusted with all arrangements. To visit this Guest Book Online, go to www.herald.com/obituaries.” Miami Herald, The (FL) April 9, 2006.

Ellen is honored to announce that she has been offered a position on the 2006-2007 Nominating Committee, the group of Rotarians that meet in the Spring of 2007 to interview and propose a nominee that would, if confirmed by the club presidents-elect at Jim Norton’s 2007 District Assembly, serve as the governor of Rotary International District 6990 in Rotary Year 2009-2010.

Give a ring to Maxene Graham (we’re missing you!!) Reach her at home by calling (305) 385-5990.

Linda Kaplan showed Rotary Exchange Student Ilaria Rundeddu and the Miami Rotary Club’s exchange student a wonderful Florida time in the Keys this weekend. Scuba, snorkling and the Conch Republic - lasting sunny memories...

MARK YOUR CALENDAR
April 18 -- Joint meeting with the Cutler Ridge-Palmetto Bay Rotary Club for the incoming GSE team from Scotland. Meeting is at Tony Roma's Restaurant, 18851 S. Dixie Hwy (U.S. - 1).

DO NOT GO TO BERNIE'S!
April 22 -- District Assembly is right in our own back yard -- Signature Gardens, 12725 SW 122 Avenue. Check the District's website: for more information and to register.

April 29 -- Rebuilding Together - at a South Miami property. Twenty homes are targeted. All owners, some are elderly, others disabled or blind, have been screened by a committee and they have no resources to fix their homes. Roofs, painting, electricity, plumbing, cabinets will all be targeted.

Cathy Miller, Coordinator (305) 665-1146 for questions.

Meeting Functionaries
Invocation:	Roy Gonas
Pledge:	Otto Fuentes
Guests:	Sid Greenstein
Happy $$:	Chris Marsh
Door Prizes:	None L
Money Prize ($6/$142):	Suzanne Fontana - won the small prize…
It’s Your Turn
April 18th:	Door Prize: NONE NEEDED
April 25th:	Door Prize: Fabio Fernandez / Dessert: John Sorgie
May 2nd:	Door Prize: Ed Fischer / Dessert: Carolyn Smith
May 9th:	Door Prize: Ann Fisher / Dessert: Larry Sherry
Future Speakers:
April 18th:	Incoming GSE Scotland team - Joint meeting with Perrine/Cutler Ridge Club at Tony Romas
April 25th:	Club Assembly
May 2nd:	Jane Henzerling, Teach for America
May 9th:	Bernice Matalon - Pace School for Girls
May 16th:	Capt. Asaad Masoud - Natural Healing & Macrobiotic Diet

Today’s Speaker Program chair Pansy Graham beautifully introduced...

Martha Gutierrez
Regional Director of Development & Marketing
Take Stock in Children
http://www.takestockinchildren.com 
110 SE 6th Street, Suite 190 • Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33301 • Tel: 888-322-HOPE • Fax: 954-769-2934

Pansy’s opening remarks deserve quoting: It was Mahatma Ghandi who said that “Poverty is the worst form of violence.” The poor has dreams, the poor has hopes and the poor has aspirations…but what the poor needs is opportunity.

Take Stock in Children is a school-based, non-profit organization that has answered the call and has dedicated its mission to breaking the cycle of poverty and academic failure for low-income and at-risk children in our community. This state-wide comprehensive mentoring and scholarship program currently serves more than 7,300 children, more than 450 from Miami-Dade’s poorest neighborhoods.

Martha Gutierrez, a Coral Gables Rotarian, always wanted to do something to help children and in 2004 she began working with this organization.

To be in the program, children must • Be between the 6th and 11th grades and be selected by a committee of teachers and community leaders.

• Sign a contract agreeing to stay drug- and crime-free.

• Maintain satisfactory grades.

• Exhibit good behavior in schools.

• Have a financial need and be determined to succeed.

Twenty-four percent of Florida's children are eligible for Take Stock in Children's program because their family income is below the federal poverty level. Students are selected by committees comprised of educators, civic leaders, and business sponsors and must sign a contract agreeing to follow the guidelines of the program. Each child selected receives a four-year college tuition or vocational scholarship purchased by the Florida Prepaid Tuition Program. Students receive their scholarships if they have fulfilled the terms of the contract and when they have graduated from high school. To help low-income children succeed they provide college and vocational scholarships, volunteer mentors, student advocates/case managers, tutoring, early intervention and long-term support, high standards, parental involvement, and community support.

This program is a solution to one of the most critical problems facing Florida’s 38% dropout and high youth crime rates with a proven record of helping low-income children graduate from high school, attend college, stay out of trouble, and become productive citizens. This public-private partnership of state government, businesses, school systems, social service agencies, civic and religious organizations, and private citizens has made a measurable difference in the lives of low-income children. It is established in every Florida county where they are managed by local educational, social service, and community and youth organizations.

RCSM is working towards partnering with this organization so we can increase the number of South Miami High School students that we can sponsor through college.