Last week’s meeting was attended by about 24 members in person and a few folks on zoom. Kendra, Nelson and Mardi ran the show like a Hollywood crew; it’s only a matter of time before they will be nominated for Oscars. There are still some problems with the audio but that is being worked on- the board authorized the purchase of a good microphone.
Lowry Fenton was our guest that we hope decided to join our club!
Dr. Dover gave a brief reminder that the delta variant is causing covid surges even in highly vaccinated countries so we must, at a minimum, continue to wear masks except when eating and observe social distancing where possible, even in the close confines of our Seascape dining room.
Other clubs in Santa Cruz County are doing hybrid meetings. Silicon Valley and other Bay Area clubs where there are mask mandates are returning to zoom only.
Sam again led the Welcome Song soloing on guitar, this time with a rock and roll rendition that would have made Chuck Berry jealous.
Michele Bassi and Bill Witmer presented a Paul Harris award to Sgt at Arms Craig Bagley for his charitable contributions. This was Craig’s 4th Paul Harris award. Bill reminded us that the Paul Harris foundation was started with $27 in 1916 and since has raised billions for the fight against polio.
Dagmar gave a cheerful recap of the Beach Cleanup, including a count of the debris club members picked up and the camaraderie of trash collectors. She also disparaged the club President by suggesting that his large haul of recyclables was stolen. Not so. Age and decrepitude notwithstanding, and assisted by his daughters 2 intrepid dogs, your President risked life or at least dignity by retrieving cans and bottles from the treacherous bluff slope. Hold your applause, it’s part of the job description. Next time he will wear the Rotary flag as a cape.
Dagmar also needs a co-chair to help her on the membership committee, volunteers are encouraged to contact her or President Ken.
Rich was the Detective: true or false: he asked true or false questions about events that occurred in August, going back centuries? The worst question/answer was whether Eugene Diesel got the patent for the diesel engine in August 1898 the answer- false, it was his brother, Rudolf. Seriously? $5 Rich. A better question would have been whether Rudolf Diesel ran his engine on peanut oil at the 1900 Paris World’s fair…..
President Ken asked for volunteers at Second Harvest’s food giveaways at the County Fairgrounds. They are 9am-1pm on August 20, September 10, and September 24. Michele Bassi added that the giveaways are drive-up so covid exposure is minimal. Please contact Ken if you are available and interested.
Stan Abraham attended his third meeting in a row and felt compelled to explain his thrice blessing of our Rotary congregation with his presence by sort of accurately recounting the uh, inducements (threats is too strong a word) made against him by President Ken during an attorney-client privileged conversation…..
Thanks to Pam and Dr Art for joining efforts to write about the Speaker!
Our speaker today was Dr. Tanyss Munro. Dr. Munro and her husband Gem co-founded the Amarok Society which expands educational opportunities for children and their mothers. They began in Canada with disadvantaged persons, and she spoke to us today about her work
in Bangladesh – a chronically impoverished country wedged between eastern India and Myanmar, below Nepal.
in Bangladesh – a chronically impoverished country wedged between eastern India and Myanmar, below Nepal.
Most of the world’s population growth occurs in Asia. Bangladesh is a very over-populated, Islamic majority country that suffers regular flooding from snow melt in the Himalayas and tropical storms that go north from the Bay of Bengal. The capital Dhaka suffers from severe
crowding, infectious diseases, malnutrition, and year-round heat with chronic air pollution.
The Amarok Society is working to educate children in the megaslums of Dhaka, where children have little opportunity to receive an education. Dr. Munro explained how the Society developed a new model of education to help break the cycles of illiteracy and poverty, and
concurrently empower women and girls to overcome generational and cultural oppression including child marriage, child labour, sex trafficking and opposition to education for girls and women.
Her talk was entitled “Making the world worthy of children.” The goal is teaching mothers to teach the world through their children. One in 3 children is illiterate. Amarok provides “shadow education” after-school teaching by mothers who are recruited to teach them.
Amorak’s “Mothers of Intention” projects train mothers to be teachers. Each teacher then teaches 25 students in her neighborhood. The children receive co-ed education, which they never would experience in the public schools in Dhaka. They are taught human rights, peace, and tolerance. The results demonstrate changes in literacy, attitudes and greater age at marriage. Many young children go forward to high school and college and have improved opportunities for employment. Many contribute to their neighborhoods to pass along what they have learned to younger generations.
The program has also resulted in shifts of cultural and institutional opposition to education for girls and women. In Amarok’s programs, mothers are the teachers and girls and boys are taught in the same classes. Men and boys are now pleased that women and girls are
receiving an education. Many Rotary clubs support the work of this phenomenal and inspiring organization.
Ms. Munro was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for her work.
Photo of Dr Tanyss Munro
Dr. Art Dover won the raffle!. He did not audibly announce his intentions of spending it, but he sure will be having fun
Perhaps heeding Kelly’s diplomatic inquiries, Seascape actually prepared more food than we ate- there was 8 inches of pork roast and a few lbs of mashed potatoes left.
Hunter, the very nice young man who has been serving us, said that he could not provide to go boxes because the law prohibits that for banquets; they can’t even donate it. President Ken checked with his cousin the catering manager and she confirmed. Julie Lambert “McGyvered” her way around that by stacking the plate she had left at Keith’s house and walking out the back door . Apparently it’ s OK if people bring their own to go boxes but we should be discreet about it.
Per Kendra: Please remember that if you have marked "TBD" as your answer for a meeting date, edit your form with your updated "yes or no" answer. If no update is made your TBD will be counted as a "no" and Seascape will not prepare a meal for you.
We have only two more weeks of the August RSVP Form and then a new link will be provided for September.