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Today's Events:

Past-President Michael Mills presiding

We welcome all our visitors:

From the  Rotary Club of Coral Gables
Rolf Frankfurter

Joe Gibson,
retired educator and great friend (Horace)

Paul S Lausell,

Exec. Director Investments Oppenheimer and Company, Inc. – was a Rotarian in Puerto Rico  (Asaad)

&

Valedia Vidal, (Felipe’s daughter)
Congratulations Felipe (he just bought a townhome in Kendall)

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

HAPPY 4^TH OF JULY !!

Mike Mills:
A formal thank you for your support during my Presidency:

Hampton – appreciation of his dedication as our Sergeant of Arms
Capt. Asaad for his dedication as Memmership Chair
Cathy Miller as our tenacious Foundation Chair

Mark your calendars:

Monday, July 7, 2008 @ 6:00 p.m.

Board Meeting - the first meeting of the 2008/09 Board and will be immediately followed by a meeting of the 08/09 Foundation Board.

First National Bank of South Miami

Please let Mike Mills know if you are a Board member and unable to attend.  All members of the Club are welcome to attend these Board meetings on the first Monday of each month.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008 @ 11:15 a.m.
Rotary District  Governor 6990 (2008-09) Marcy Ullom

Speaks to the club.  Board Members & Officers arrive at 11:15 a.m.

Cathy Miller: on behalf of

The club was presented with a framed letter for recognition of all of the hours volunteered and to show gratitude for revitalizing the homes of those in need.  Those who worked diligently to serve our community must be applauded for their contribution and efforts to transform deserving neighborhoods.  Thank you for making a difference! 

SOUTH MIAMI ROTARY ARTS FESTIVAL

Saturday & Sunday, February 21 – 22, 2009

Diana

Sent an email last week concerning the Miccosukee Tribe’s upcoming event and we should cross-promote their events.  Need places of business to post on their store’s door. Lend them our support and cross-promote their events!

www.southmiamiartfest.com  (official site)

 www.myspace.com/southmiamiartfest (unofficial site)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Miami_Rotary_Art_Festival (wiki encyclopedia article)

$$$ PRINTER CARTRIDGES FUNDRAISER $$$

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

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: Linda Kaplan

millsmike@aol.com

Secretary:  Doreen Reitnauer

dhiker217@aol.com

Treasurer: David Jacobs

david@jnccpas.com

Sergeant at Arms:  Hampton Booker

Hg262@bellsouth.net

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 ($250) or to become a New Member ($300) contact

Asaad Massoud, at www.racharters.com

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

Mike Mills, Area Chairman

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve

Mike became ESGR Area Chair last month.

During wartime, this organization is more important than ever – most of the National Guard and Reservists joined before the Iraq War started.  They had the idea of assisting one weekend a month and summer training to fulfill their obligation to the military.  Now most have been deployed one to five times. 

These are people who are like you and I with full time jobs.  They could be a mailman, real estate agent, business owners, sole practitioners.  This obligation basically shuts down their business. 
Most government positions, when reservists are deployed, make up the difference in their salary so that they don’t see a decrease in income while they serve their country. 

Many employers don’t.  They are patriotic but due to business concerns – a yearlong deployment of staff means finding a replacement.  Firing a reservist going to serve is highly illegal. 

Uniform services = employee rights act is a law designed to protect reservists who are entitled to all work benefits that they were receiving prior to leaving.  It’s illegal for the employer to demand a resignation. 

It is not a one-sided law.  The employees have a responsibility to the employer not to inform them at the last minute of a deployment.

ESGR is a 3-pronged entity.

~ They talk to employers and describe to them what the law is and what their rights are.  There is a document they are offered to sign stating that the employer supports complying with the law. 

~ Additionally, there is a unit outreach in which the ESGR visits the units during their training weekends when not deployed. 

~ They establish a relationship with the members of the unit.  They are present during mobilization and offer assistance to the families when their relative is overseas.  They offer to be a liaison with the state of FL which has budgeted $3 million for military families experiencing emergencies during deployment.

~  There is an Ombudsman Program which offers to field complaints from reservists when there are conflicts with the employer.  This person mediates misunderstandings and explains the law and patriotism and sacrifice and potential media attention for not supporting the Country.

The Dept of Defense offers the opportunity for employers to get to  see what the employee is doing when they are sent to training camps across the country. 

Mike is looking for volunteers – in a month or so – to go out to all reservists to inform them about their rights and that ESGR exists to help. 

Marty Rosen
48% of all military is guard and reserve.  All are volunteers with a tremendous positive attitude.  They love what they are doing and are wonderful.

Ex. Man called to active duty two days later the company emailed him that he was fired.  He was entitled to his job back and all promotions.

Ex. Dade county schools teacher worked seven years for the system and they had no openings upon his return.  Middle management said no to rehiring him but the school board got his job back in June. 

Ex. Repossession of a home due to the husband being deployed.  Credit card companies must suspend interest payments. 

Ex. SM Hospital nurse, deployed, landlord threatened to evict.

Ex. Person worked for a medical machinery company installation and was told he wouldn’t be promoted as long as he is a military reservist.

You help America when you support the guard and reserves.