For the last seven weeks, I’ve felt like a dog – I roam the house all day looking for food, every time I get close to someone I’m told to stay away, and I get really excited about car rides. It’s also been a lot like being sixteen again – gas is cheap and I’m grounded.

And so it goes…trying to find some bit of humor during a global pandemic. Because I’ve found laughter helps. And so does spending time outdoors, enjoying this beautiful weather we’ve been having.  And watching my geraniums blossom and my grapevines break bud and spurt to life. Spending two hours on Zoom on a Saturday evening with friends. Cooking. Reading. Hanging by the pool. Playing fetch with Jake. Listening to music. Thursday Rotary meetings.

Yeah…shelter in place is awful, but life isn’t.

Hang in there everyone. We’re getting through this…together.

Stay strong. . .NILES STRONG!

Bruce

As we all know, this year’s Rotary International theme is “Rotary Connects the World”. Did Rotary International President Mark Daniel Maloney have a crystal ball when he chose this theme? Because there have been few times, if any, in recent memory when staying connected has carried such significance as it does now.

More than 400 years ago, the English poet John Donne wrote, “No man is an island.” So very true. We do poorly in isolation and need to be part of a community to thrive. While each of us is an individual, we all are part of a greater whole. And it is from that greater whole that we gain our greatest strength.

People connect in so many ways – through family, friendships, faith, business, social activities, sports, school; the list goes on and on. As Rotarians, and Niles Rotarians in particular, we have a special connection, embodied in the four way test and the sense of fellowship we embrace. Let’s not lose sight of this during these unusual and, for most, trying times. We all are here for each other. So feel free to go to our website, pull up the roster, and just give a fellow member a call, or send a text or email.  Reach out, and be there when someone reaches out to you.

If you can, attend our weekly meetings on-line. We tried this out last week and, although there were a few glitches that we’ll have to iron out, for the most part the meeting was a huge success! Most impressive of all, 76 people attended, including one visiting Rotarian (Mary Lynn’s sister Carol Geddes), and five guests (Sandi Pantages’ husband Dick, Harry’s lovely fiancée Ella, Tracy Salvato’s granddaughter Nevaeh, Dirk’s dog Lexxie, and Steven Lloyd’s cousin, Neneva Pejovic from Montenegro). We will continue to have these virtual meetings as long as necessary, and will work to make them flow as smoothly as possible and to provide as close to a “normal” meeting as we can. In fact, we intend eventually to be able to incorporate one of our favorite parts of the meeting — SINGING!!

Yes…Rotary does connect the world. And by all of us in our club staying connected, we will remain NILES STRONG!!

 

 

It’s March 8^th as I write this – International Women’s Day. And it gets me to thinking about all the strong, hardworking, committed, intelligent, successful, dedicated, fun-loving, and soulful women we are blessed to have in our club. Thirty-Five Actives and another Ten Honoraries.

You mean so much to our club. You are a part of our life blood. Your contributions are invaluable. You help make the club what it is. Thank you to our six female Past Presidents, and our current female President Elect Nominee. You’ve helped blaze a trail that sorely needed blazing. Thank you to the additional five current female members who have served on our board of directors. Thank you to our long-time club secretary (without whom the rest of the club leadership would be lost), the publisher of our Pinion, the person who sends the Club Bulletin every week, our website administrator, the founder and leader of Social Change, our club pianist, and our club photographer.

Yes…here’s a shout out to all the ladies: Savita, Sophia, Rosemary, Jasmine, Judy, Chiral, Rose, Nancy, Tina, Maggie, Kimberly M., Sherry, Margo, Hattie, Dana, Audrey, Terri, Stella, Lisa, Kimberly H. F., Padma, Wendy, Merna, Cyndy, Sandi, Debi, Alanna, Tracy, Mary Lynn, Tammi, Gael, Annu, Margaret, Dolores, Sandra, Joy, Lynn, Shirley S., Gwen, Harriet, Judy, Nina, Rose, Bonnie, and Shirley W. Without you, we are not Niles Strong.

“Rotary Connects the World.” That’s the theme chosen for the 2019 – 2020 Rotary year by Rotary International President Mark Daniel Maloney, who challenges all Rotarians to strengthen the ways that Rotary connects the world, by building the connections that allow talented, thoughtful, and generous people to unite and take meaningful action through Rotary service.

I’m so proud that Niles Rotary provides many opportunities for its members to meet Mr. Maloney’s challenge – from international service (think of the projects we’ve done over the years in Guatemala, Chile, Lebanon, Serbia, Mexico, and Africa, to name a few), to youth exchange, to our strong showings at international conventions, to this year’s involvement with other Area 3 clubs at Lake Elizabeth Park on International Peace Day, to the warm welcomes we extend to visiting Rotarians from around the state, country and world at our meetings, to the Hot!Hot!Hot! Chili Pepper Challenge, which this year raised over $90,000.00 for distribution to organizations who serve and help connect people in our local communities, to bell ringing for the Salvation Army, Feed the Hungry, Pizza With Santa, and all the other community service projects we do that improve the lives of those around us who can benefit from a helping hand.

Be proud Niles Rotarians. You are helping to connect the world.

Bruce

Holy cow…it’s January already!! 2020…a new year, a new decade. Where does the time go?

We have a lot to look forward to in the coming six months – the District 5170 Richard D. King Speech Contest, a visit from our District Governor (date TBD), our Niles Rotary Reverse Raffle Fundraiser, more service projects, social events and interesting speakers, the recommencement of Fellowship Fridays, the District Conference, the Rotary International Conference, more fines for Ray Pedersen (J), and, finally, the demotion of yours truly and ascendency of President-Elect Dirk to the throne!

Speaking of Dirk and the Reverse Raffle, have you bought your ticket and started selling to others? This year’s event looks like it’s going to be a real winner – Dirk and his crew have secured Campo di Bocce as the venue, which will give us more space than we are used to. Once again, a ticket will get a sit down meal for two, a one in three hundred fifty chance to win $5000, oodles of other chances to win money, a fun-filled evening with lots of good people, an opportunity to bid on silent and live auction items, and, best of all, the experience of having made a real contribution to our community.

This is Niles Rotary’s signature event. Net proceeds go the Niles Rotary Foundation, which then donates the money through a granting process to local causes. The back of this year’s flier has a list of some of the charities we have supported over the years. Check it out – it’s very impressive. This also is a great opportunity to heighten community awareness of Rotary in general and Niles Rotary in particular, as our guests see first-hand what a vibrant, energetic, fun-loving, and service oriented group we are, and they get to experience the pleasure of giving back.

Of course, to make the event the big success it deserves to be, we have to sell tickets – 350 of them. With just under 100 members, that’s 3 to 4 tickets per member. Not hard to do if you believe in the cause, which all of us must. So go to your family, your friends, your neighbors, your work associates, people you do business with…anyone you can think of. Give them the opportunity to feel the power of Niles Strong in action.

Bruce