We wish to thank the sponsors of our club’s newsletter! Click on our fellow Rotarians  business cards & visit their website:

Today's Events:

President Bill Enright presiding  

We welcome all our visitors…

Darryl Hickey

&

Jose Flores, Architect (Raquel)

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It’s Your Turn to bring a DOOR PRIZE!  (in alphabetical order unless a switch is requested)
May 19, 2009	Doreen Reitnauer
May 26, 2009	Diana Phillips
June 2, 2009	Jody Perlmutter
June 9, 2009	Michael Newman

 

* * * A N N O U N C E M E N T S  * * *

Ed Fischer:

At 4:00PM this afternoon, the State Attorney’s office in downtown Miami would host a ceremony honoring POW/MIA’s and encouraged the members to attend if their time allowed. 

Diana Phillips:

Gloria Burns has exposed us again!  See her column in the South Miami News, just out today.  Wanna send her thanks, send it to galburns@aol.com.

http://www.communitynewspapers.com/

Todd Lary, Rotary Club Miami Sundown

Todd is in charge of Youth Exchange, Rotary sends 7,000 – 8,000 kids annually to another country to study.

Open your home to the experience. 

Contact Todd: 305-815-1942 / toddlary@aol.com

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Wednesday, May 13, 2009 from  9:00 am -10:30am

Dictionary Giveaway

for 75 - 3rd graders.

Dr. Robert B. Ingram Elementary School

600 Ahmad Street

Opa-locka, Florida 33054.

(305) 688-4605 fax: (305) 688-3971.

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TENTATIVE NEXT GIVEAWAYS:
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Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Grace Academy in Opa Locka

www.graceacademyfl.org/

13400 NW 28th Ave, Opa Locka

(305) 751-5910

is interested in participating in the Atlas give away.  They currently have (20) 6th graders.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Phillis Wheatley Elementary School

http://pwes.dadeschools.net/

1801 NW 1st Pl
Miami, FL 33136
(305) 573-2638

with 43 3rd graders and 22 6th graders

SAVE THE DATES:

Saturday, May 16, 2009

We're planning a terrific

Family of Rotary Social at the Marlins

 The Marlins versus the Rays.  We've got a rock-bottom price of $27 and lots of good Rotary exposure.  Sign up now through your Club or contact AG Michael Kesti (305-323-2903).  Bring your family and enjoy the evening at the ballpark!

On July 19th, we'll be working with the Marlins participating in their 50/50 raffle.  We're looking for a few great volunteers to go to the park and sell raffle tickets.  25% of the proceeds will go to support Polio.  Bring your friends, bring your children, have a great time and support a great cause.  Contact Michael if you're interested.

Yours in Rotary Service,

DG Marcy

Tuesday,May 19, 2009 at 7:00 p.m.

South Miami City Hall Chambers

Your attendance is requested to witness Mayor Horace Feliu present a City of South Miami Proclamation to Diana Phillips. Come to the South Miami City Hall Chambers to honor Diana for her lifetime of good works and volunteer efforts on behalf of Rotary Club and our community. 

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Saturday, June 13, 2009 @ 7:00 p.m.

YOUR INVITATION TO:

Installation Dinner @ Signature Gardens

12725 S.W. 122^ND Ave.,

MIAMI , Fl. 33186

Guests of Rotarians $30.00

Please RSVP yes or no ASAP to:

Donna Gaines at 305-665-6390

Please indicate with your response your choice of main course: Use # 1,2,or 3

1. Half baked chicken, on a bed of sautéed spinach, served with honey mango sauce
2. Fresh baked Tilapia, Lemon butter sauce
3. Vegetarian: Penne Primavera, served with Signatures fresh seasonal vegetables & roasted red bliss potatoes with rosemary & garlic

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Next show:

Saturday & Sunday, February 27 – 28, 2010

www.southmiamiartfest.com  (official site)

 www.myspace.com/southmiamiartfest (unofficial site)

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DID YOU MISS A MEETING‘CAUSE YOU WERE AWAY?

Our club goal is 100% Attendance!

If you miss a meeting, it can be made-up within 2 weeks, before or after, of the missed meeting date.

For online make-ups:

http://www.rotary.org/newsroom/downloadcenter/pdfs/eclub_list.pdf

How to do a Make-Up On-Line via Rotary eClub One?

Perfect attendance is now possible for every Rotarian with computer access. Rotary’s eClub One is a full-service online charted Rotary Club. Meetings operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. What an easy way to make up for a meeting that you have missed! During the last Rotary year, Rotary eClub One welcomed more than 120,000 visitors from 161 countries. Of these, about 800 per week participated in one of eClub One’s meeting programs and applied for make-up credit.

Here’s what you have to do to earn make up credit. Go to

http://www.rotary.org/RIdocuments/en_pdf/eclub_list.pdf

It is mandatory that you spend at least 30 minutes on the website for qualify for a make-up credit. (Remember Rotarians are guided by the principles of the 4 Way Test).

1.  Read a variety of current articles in the programs section and/or choose articles from the Archived Programs list and/or information from the Avenues of Service pages. You will be required to answer questions. There is space on the makeup request form for up to three articles to be reviewed, however you will need to read more than three to meet your 30 minute visit obligation.

2.  At the end of your 30 minute visit, click on Make-up Request Form from the drop-down menu at the top of the page OR the bottom of each make-up program.

3.  Read the Makeup Request Form carefully, and follow instructions. The form will appear once you press the SUBMIT button (one time only) and an email copy will be sent to the email address you proved. This can be forwarded to your club secretary so your attendance records are properly updated.

Rotarians can also designate eClub One as their home club. Members in eClub One are usually experienced Rotarians who are unable to belong to a traditional club because they reside in a remote location or they are engaged in a demanding travel schedule. Those applying for membership in eClub One must provide an endorsement from their current District Governor, current Rotary club President, along with letters of reference from two Rotarian colleagues of their current club..

eClub One has standard requirements for memberships, including charges for dues and administrative fees. Participants also must be willing to take part regularly in the Rotary eClub One community by taking on tasks and responsibilities. Members are required to also have regular access to the Internet and be willing to acquire the necessary skills to participate in the activities of Rotary eClub One.

Rotary and eClub One are on the cutting edge of the technology age. How this evolves will only be determined by periodic evaluation and the involvement of its members. For today, however, it is an outstanding tool for Rotarians to makeup missed meetings and keep in touch with Rotary happenings throughout the world.

For make-ups anywhere around the world when traveling internationally:
http://rotary.org/support/clubs/index.html

President:  Bill Enright
bill@handsonmiami.org

President Elect:  Pansy Graham
pansygraham@bellsouth.net

Vice President: Mike Mills
millsmike@aol.com

Secretary:  Doreen Reitnauer
dhiker217@aol.com

Treasurer: David Jacobs
david@jnccpas.com

Sergeant at Arms:  Azam Malik
azam@sdsol.com

To send an E-mail to the Rotary Club of South Miami’s Board of Directors, board@southmiamirotary.org

South Miami Rotary Club:
www.southmiamirotary.org

Rotary District 6990:

www.rotary6990.org

World Organization:
www.rotary.org

Mission Statement

The mission of Rotary International, a worldwide association of Rotary clubs, is to provide service to others, to promote high ethical standards, and to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through its fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.

THE 4-WAY TEST OF THE THINGS WE THINK, SAY OR DO:   

Benefits of Being A Rotarian (Membership)
Rotary membership provides the opportunity to:

¨       Become connected to your community.

¨       Work with others in addressing community needs.

¨       Interact with other professionals in your community;
assist with RI's international humanitarian service efforts.

¨       Establish contacts with an international network of professionals.

¨       Develop leadership skills.  Involve family in promoting service efforts.

Renewing or Joining
To Renew ($275) or to become a New Member ($325) contact

Asaad Massoud, at www.racharters.com

Fundraisers
Interested in putting together a fundraiser? Contact Club Service Chair Linda Kaplan at lk@lindakaplane.com

Programming Chair Darryl Downs introduced:

Joyce Maschinski, PhD,

Plant Conservation Ecologist from Fairchild Topical Bontanic Garden regarding

The Center for Tropical Plant Conservation

jmaschinski@fairchioldgarden.org / 305-669-4069

Dr. Maschinski earned her Ph.D. at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff and began her career at the Flagstaff Arboretum.  Having been published in  43  different international scientific journals, Dr.  Maschinski is considered to be among the world’s leading plant conservationists. Current research centers on rare plant populations and factors that limit reproduction, growth and expansion along with the impact of human activity. She came to Fairchild Gardens because of its reputation and focus on ecological conservation.

Currently, there are 260 species threatened with extinction in the area from Lake Okeechobee to Key West.  Dr.  Maschinski leads a team of scientists to verify and map the location of surviving species, as well as collect and store seeds. Although some seed are stored locally, most are stored at a USDA seed storage facility located at Ft. Collins, Colorado because of the threat of loss due to hurricanes. For 13 varieties here in South Florida, the seeds are grown in  nurseries and then reintroduced into the environment.

Dr.  Maschinski also heads up the “Connect to Protect” program which looks to rebuild much of South Florida’s Pine Rockland Ledges which were lost to development because so much housing was built on high ground. Much of these rarte species need related plants in order to survive and prevent seed devastation caused by “in-breeding.” The program currently is attempting to speak with Parks Departments and Highway Transportation authorities to encourage using park land and median strips to prevent total extinction. The program also encourages middle school and high school students who put on skits and create songs on conservation. They also encourage landowners to consider using native plants on their property and occasionally will assist the homeowner in eliminating invasive plants. If you own property and would like to use to encourage native species, Dr.  Maschinski’s will visit your property to determine if it would be suitable for planting.

From: http://www.fairchildgarden.org/centerfortropicalplant
conservation/ connecttoprotect/importanceofpinerocklands/

Pine rocklands are unique 

Over 400 native plants occur in pine rocklands, including 31 endemic species (found nowhere else on earth), of which seven are listed as federally endangered.  Miami's pine rocklands also support the bald eagle, Kirtland's warbler and the eastern indigo snake, as well as more common urban-adapted critters like foxes, raccoons, possums and squirrels.  The rare and beautiful atala butterfly, Florida leafwing butterfly and rim rock crowned snake are occasionally glimpsed.  

Benefits to society 

At Fairchild we are concerned about the persistence of all pine rockland plants, both rare and common, as well as the animals that live among these plants.  The benefits of biodiversity and functioning ecosystems are well-established:  they provide us with fresh air, clean water and productive soils; food, medicines (many still undiscovered) and other natural products that keep us healthy; economic resources that maintain a vigorous economy; and sources of renewal and inspiration for a higher quality of life.  Nurturing our pine rocklands not only beautifies

Pineland petunia (Ruellia succulenta)

the environment for those of us who live here, but can serve to attract visitors seeking to explore new habitats.

Scattered remnants

Habitat fragmentation has put at risk the pine rockland ecosystem in Miami-Dade County.  This map (found on the CTPN main page) shows the approximately 300 parcels that remain of the original ecosystem, ranging in size from much less than one acre to about 300 acres.  Isolation of the plant populations has reduced their numbers.  This, in turn, decreases opportunities for pollinators to find flowers, thus affecting both seed production and the genetic health of these plant populations.  Ultimately the rare plants that live in pine rocklands become more vulnerable to catastrophic events such as hurricanes, from which recovery becomes increasingly less likely.