EFFINGHAM

Service Above Self - He Profits Most Who Serves Best
EFFINGHAM
(OPINIONS OF THE TIMES)™
PUBLISHED BY THE ROTARY CLUB OF EFFINGHAM, ILLINOIS
"I care not for a man's religion
whose dog and cat are not the
better for it."
Abraham Lincoln
EFFINGHAM ROTARY CLUB
CLUB NO. 3265
DISTRICT 6490
ORGANIZED 1920
Philip R. Coats, Editor
12 September 2012
What could have been wasn’t and what was today was wonderful as we re-visited the
Effingham County Humane Society Mardi Gras celebration for 2012 compliments of Program
Chair Steve Seymour. He had promised that his program would be either a dog and cat story
or a viewing of Ambassadors of Harmony DVD or both. The Ambassadors will just have to wait.
Steve and wife Cynthia are intricately involved in our local Humane Society. Presently, Steve
leads the organization but she has also been at the helm. Today’s PowerPoint™ presentation
highlighted the activities and animals at the shelter, located just off US Route 40 at the
extensively remodeled former Funkhouser Grade School. Their Mardi Gras event held each
March at the Knights of Columbus is the major fundraiser for this 501(c)3 non-profit
organization. This year about 250 attendees were feted to Creole style foods created
especially by Martin’s IGA catering division, no simple task since we are about 11-1/2 hours
north of the French quarter of New Orleans. This annual event along with Fat Sunday, garage
sales, golf tournaments and tapas at Tuscan Hills winery help to provide the $80,000 annual
budget necessary to operate the facility.
According to a recent census, anywhere from ten to fourteen dogs are housed in sixteen
pens, eleven inside and five outdoor running pens. The feline population is much larger as
there are usually 35-50 on site. A total of sixty volunteers work at the site 7 days a week.
Although none of the board members are salaried, the ECHS does provide part-time, low
wage employment for three persons.
He differentiated between the National Humane Society and the local society. Although the
poignant, piercing television ads elevate public awareness the national organization does not
contribute to local groups. The Effingham County Humane Society does not send any funds
or have direct contact with the national organization either. All the funds raised here assist
dogs, cats and occasionally other creatures, e.g., a rabbit, only in Effingham county. They do
not accept or transfer animals from neighboring counties, just Effingham. They do, however,
adopt out animals outside of Effingham county, i.e., the occasional person or family from
Champaign or Chicago. The ECHS adoption fees are considerably less and thus financially
attractive. At this time, the feline adoption fee for adult cats is $75 and $15 more for kittens
or $90. Canine fees run about $150 unless it is more desirable breed (law of supply and
demand?).
Some of their doctrine includes: not being tied to all dogs being on a leash because they were
born to be free, run free and chaining or leashing constantly goes against nature. That
doesn’t mean that some should be leashed sometimes for their protection and that of
humans who might confront the dog. They are not members nor directly support PETA
(People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). They believe in spaying and neutering as it
controls the population and by state law neither dogs or cats can be adopted until they are
“fixed”. They do not promote de-clawing because of its inhumanity. Euthenization is not on
their list unless the veterinarian recommends relative to quality of life issues for the pet.
While at the shelter, animals are not only given food and
water, but also medical care and socialization with
humans and other animals. One of their goals is to
rehabilitate and find forever homes for each of its
inhabitants.
Although it is unlawful for anyone to abandon or leave
an animal at their shelter or the city pound it still is
prevalent. Animal control and the society work together
to comfort and care for the animals insomuch the ECHS
provides free dry dog food to Effingham County Animal
Control regularly. A non-profit supporting a taxing body,
quite unusual.
Enough words – here are some pictures gleaned from
Steve’s presentation:
THIS WEEK AT ROTARY
Claude Hudson is
Program Chair and his
guest will be
Bill Emmons,
Vic President and
Economist at the Federal
Reserve Bank of St.
Louis. Please see
biography below
calendar in this
newsletter.
& Guests
Past President Norma Lansing (gavel-pounder during President
Rosie’s absence) announced our most welcome Floridian Rotarian
Gary Ernst from Panama City. The new Senior Vice President and
Chief Loan Officer for Washington Savings Bank Michael Defend was
announced by Claude Hudson.
Program chair Steve Seymour with student guest
Deedra Myers
Our Student Guest from
Effingham High School
Deedra Myers, the daughter of Darlene
Logue and Jeff Myers, was welcomed by
Jason Fox. Upon graduation she plans
to earn her PTN (Paramedic Transitional
Nursing) degree at Lake Land College
then to go to a university for a sports
medicine degree. Deedra is a Society
for Academic Achievement scholar,
listed on the Effingham High School
Hall of Fame and on the volleyball court
earned the hustle and sportsmanship
awards. She plays volleyball and
softball at EHS and is a member of the
Spanish club, pep club, HMHC (siq) community actions committee and club volleyball. Deedra
likes spending time with her friends, family, her four-wheeler and doing babysitting.
MORE
STUFF YOOUU PROBABLYY WANT TTOO KNOW
FF
COMMUNITY SURVEY – BEING A 100% CLUB
Past President Norma Lansing has challenged us
to complete the Effingham County Effingham
County Vision 2020 Community Survey.
Her challenge is for the Effingham
Rotary Club to be a 100% organization.
It only takes a few minutes. With your completed
form turned in there is another chance to win a $100
Wal-Mart Gift Card and for a possible $250
Grand Prize to be drawn September 28.
.
If you missed getting a copy, click here for a direct
link to the survey:
http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22GBXTCBXRN
We have also placed a PDF copy of the survey by
clicking in the body of your e-mail below the
newsletter PDF.
We have a new club brochure,
highlighting our annual events and
projects, e.g., Business Associates
Luncheon and Vocational Excellence
Award, both on October 17 and many
other tidbits a NEW MEMBER might
want to know about the Effingham
Rotary Club. An initial distribution of
five per attending member was
conducted at the 29 August meeting.
Talk to your associate, your boss, your
neighbor, maybe your wife or husband.
Your son or daughter may be prospective
new member, too.
Additional copies will
be near the badge boxes
along with “How to
Propose a New Member”
applications.
You are invited to attend
THE ROTARY BALL
AN EVENING TO REMEMBER
a fundraiser for Polio Plus
Sponsored by the Louisville Rotary Club
Saturday, October 13 at the
North Clay School Commons, Louisville
5:30-9:30 p.m., Dinner served at 6:30 p.m.
Advance Tickets Only
Limited to First 200 Seats
For Tickets call 618-838-6033 or email
[email protected]
VOCATIONAL EXCELLENCE
AWARD
OCTOBER 17
This year’s award date
is only one month away. The committee comprised of Chair Bev
Soltwedel and members Tom Henderson, Todd Lancaster and
Newlin Martin request that our members nominate individuals,
Rotarians or non-Rotarians, for our annual Vocational Excellence
Award.
Please contact someone on the committee with your selection, soon.
PROCEEDS FROM INTERNATIONAL FOOD FAIR
Past President Norma announced the board of directors
had concluded their efforts and
determined our club’s portion
from the IFF on April 29 netted
$1,973.49. The board also
released $1,000 IFFair seed funds
held since the very first food fair
in the year 2005.
Ted Keller was absent today due to illness and Monte Bartels
(at right) spoke about lives being changed and people being helped
in the city of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala and especially associated
with our Casa del Niño (House of the Child) project.
http://www.casadelnino.org
A check for $2,973.49 will be presented to Ted during a future
meeting.
DISTRICT 6490 EVENT
The Annual
Membership
Foundation
New Generations
Fall Seminar
September 26 at Lake Land College - Kluthe Center from 6:00- 8:15 pm.
The club will cover registration fees for anyone who would like to attend. Please let
President Rosie know immediately if you would like to go.
Parsimony meets matrimony.
When it is your wedding anniversary bring your husband or wife
who will eat for free (once during the Rotary year).
Unattached?
Bring your fiancé or significant other or celebrate another
noteworthy date, e.g., work, school, day you joined Rotary, and
bring a guest who can eat for free.
On the ATTENDANCE CARD write ANNIVERSARY behind the
guest’s name. Hopefully our spouse or guest will feel included maybe even interested in joining.
Free meal does not apply to non-members, visitors or guests and only one spouse per member per year
AROUND THE ROOM WITH happy $$$
Bev and Delbert Soltwedel celebrated their 46TH WEDDING
ANNIVERSARY on the eleventh. (must have been a child bride!)
Grandfather Bob Fergus said Trooper Josh Fergus and (Dr.) Jamie Baldwin
welcomed Olivia May Fergus to this world at 7:00 am today. She weighed
eight pounds and is twenty-one inches long. He had pictures, too.
Congratulations to everyone.
ROTARY LICENSE PLATE
Information regarding the program is available
on our website under Documents/Forms or by
clicking below:
http://www.effinghamrotary.com/content_file
s/Rotary_License_Plate.pdf
FROM THE SUNRISE ROTARY CLUB BULLETIN
Joedy Hightower, President/CEO of the Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation, is
seeking nominations for the 2012 Outstanding Philanthropist Award. Nomination forms can
be found on the foundation's website: www.enrichingourcommunity.org. Deadline is
September 30. The recipient will be announced on Saturday, October 27, at a benefit dinner
for the Foundation being held at the Keller Convention Center.
MAKE UPS
Monte Bartels attended the Sunrise club sometime in August and Roger Marshall was
there on September 4.
If you missed a meeting, are traveling, running around doing your pirate
imitation on International Talk Like a Pirate Day (Wednesday, September 19)
(http://www.talklikeapirate.com/piratehome.html) and cannot make it here
Wednesday, you can always do your Rotary membership duty on line.
http://www.rotaryeclubone.org
HI TECH PRESENTATION FOR YOUR PROGRAM?
Computer/laptop projector and Wi-Fi are available at First Baptist Church – please make
arrangements BEFORE your program.
You may need a special connector or adaptor from your unit, i.e., your
computer, to the projector…talk to President Rosie Gibbons and arrive
early to set-up, please.
FYI: Roger Marshall is our designated expert for equipment set-up.
He’s the pastor at the church, too, and he knows a lot of stuff.
REASONS TO CELEBRATE (NEXT 10 DAY S)
Randy Jones
Andy Grunloh
Bill Myers
Randy Hall
Larry Waldhoff
Lois & Henry Hoene
Deana & Greg Nuxoll
Ted & Tina Keller
Larry & Barbara Waldhoff
Rich & Angie Hartke
September 12
September 16
September 19
September 20
September 22
September 13
September 16
September 21
September 21
September 22
Not the big
one yet
September
Sunday
16
Monday
Tuesday
17
(program chair in red)
Wednesday
18
19
Claude Hudson:
VP & Economist with Fed Res
Bank/St. Louis – Bill Emmons
Thursday
20
Friday
21
Saturday
22
27
28
29
A Don’t Miss Program
Please see note below
23
24
25
26
Jennifer Jansen
Shelli Dent with Effingham Child
Development Center is the
speaker.
30
Our Guest Speaker at Rotary on September 19 will be Bill Emmons, VP and
Economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. He is a very cogent
speaker on the economy in general and the Midwest economy in particular.
Many businesses will be starting their 2013 planning about that time…he
should provide us with useful insights.
Bill Emmons is an Assistant Vice President and Economist at the Federal
Reserve Bank of St. Louis. He conducts research and policy analysis in the areas
of banking, financial markets, and financial regulation.
Mr. Emmons serves as an Adjunct Professor of Finance in the John M. Olin
Business School at Washington University in St. Louis. Prior to joining the St.
Louis Fed, he was on the faculty of the Amos Tuck School of Business at
Dartmouth College, in Hanover, New Hampshire.
Mr. Emmons received a PhD degree in Finance from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of
Management at Northwestern University. He received bachelors and master's degrees from the
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
(Information provided by program chair Claude Hudson)