Rotary Club of Mineral Wells welcomed District 5790 Governor Peter Scott to Wednesday's meeting.
Governor Scott touched on the local club's current activities, programs and projects and stated the Mineral Wells club is a vibrant, engaged club within the community.
Scott touched largely on the importance of membership and membership growth to show its strength, diversity and reach. On the day of Governor Scott's visit, the club welcomed two new members, Marc Woolvard, an agent with Palo Pinto County Farm Bureau, and David Hawes, the city's current interim economic development director. Hawes is a past member and president of Mineral Wells Rotary.
With kickoff just nine days away, Mineral Wells High School Athletics Director and head football coach Gerald Perry teed things up Wednesday for Mineral Wells Rotarians, giving them some information and insights about the 2019 Rams team.
With just 11 seniors on this year's varsity squad, youth is the theme for this season as Perry and his coaching staff is working on growing and coaching them up since the team could rely heavily on a group of sophomores and freshmen.
Perry thinks despite having a young team (which he said should pay dividends in two years) they are not using that as an excuse. He said the program's goals remain the same: "Win a district championship, win a state championship and practice on Thanksgiving Day."
Thanks to Rotarian Jimmy Walker for his program at today's meeting, "Fear and Self-Doubt." Providing information about the fears and doubts we all have and how we can try to overcome them was entertaining, informative, inspirational.
Sharing your personal experience of fear and doubt in relation to your wife and her health brought the element of human emotion and some tears to several eyes.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells meets every Wednesday at noon at Palo Pinto General Hospital for lunch, networking, updates on club news and events and a program of interest.
Mineral Wells Rotarians on Wednesday heard of a good sign to come. The historic Crazy Water sign that once spanned Hubbard Street is nearing a return, thanks to the efforts of Leadership Mineral Wells Class 24 and a couple of recent major donations.
Rotarian and class member Cory Crenshaw led an update on the project that he said is now close enough to its funding goal that he is almost ready to place a deposit for the making of the sign and its supports.
The replicated, two-sided sign is planned to go across West Hubbard Street just west of U.S. Highway 281. While the west side of the sign will not be visible to passing westbound traffic, it will be seen by pedestrians downtown – especially once the proposed downtown park is created – and give people a chance to photograph it with the Baker Hotel in the background.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells is pleased to announce First Financial Bank of Mineral Wells as its title sponsor for its first ever pancake supper – aka "Holiday Hotcakes Extravaganza" – set for Thursday, Dec. 12, at Mineral Wells High School.
The evening will be one of good food and holiday entertainment and fun.
"We are really excited about what we have planned for our first pancake supper," said club President David May. "There will be holiday music performances by local school and organizational singers, dancers and musicians. We will have Santa and Mrs. Clause on hand for photos with the kids. Plus some great food and best of all, it's all for a great cause. This is going to be big. We can't wait."
You might not think Palo Pinto County, with about 27,000 people, would generate a tremendous number of court cases but the numbers do not lie.
29th State District Court Judge Mike Moore was this week's Mineral Wells Rotary Club guest speaker. Moore is completing his second four-year term and said he hopes to serve at least one more term, possibly two. His court hears and handles a variety of cases – criminal, civil and family law – and has plenty of those on its dockets.
Moore said after disposing of around 8,000 cases in his first seven-plus years on the bench, his 29th district courtroom currently has 1,600 pending cases total. That includes over 500 felony criminal cases, some 90 Child Protection Services cases and around 900 civil and family law cases.
"It is just an incredible number of cases we have pending," said Moore.
Like many caring and service-minded volunteers in the community do every weekday, Mineral Wells Rotarians on Fridays deliver meals to homebound seniors and individuals. On Wednesday, Rotarians were able to hear more about Meals on Wheels of Palo Pinto County through its Executive Director Christie Rucker.
Rucker became the agency's director earlier this year and has been working on making gradual changes and improvements, especially in the variety of meals prepared at Palo Pinto General Hospital, packaged and delivered to the agency's offices at 1410 S.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Street, typically ready for deliveries no later than 11 a.m.
She said Meals on Wheels serves around 48,000 homebound and congregate meals annually, with a client list ranging from 200 to 300 people in Mineral Wells, Graford, Gordon, Mingus, Strawn and Possum Kingdom Lake. Not only are hot and freshly made meals delivered midday Mondays through Fridays in Mineral Wells, but twice a month rural clients in the county receive frozen meals. Some clients can qualify for meals delivery seven days a week.
With presentation of a check for $1,000, Rotary Club of Mineral Wells on Wednesday became a five-star sponsor for the upcoming A Taste of Palo Pinto County.
Mineral Wells Senior Center Executive Director Bill Smith, pictured above right receiving the check from treasurer Dan Steele, visited the club Wednesday at its weekly meeting to talk about this year's annual event. He said there are currently 10 restaurants and caterers confirmed that will be serving up samples of their fare, with more being sought. This year's event will also include a 1950s sock hop with a DJ providing the music. Attendees are encouraged to bring their dance partner and wear their dancing shoes.
A Taste of Palo Pinto County is set for the evening of Thursday, July 25, at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2399 in Mineral Wells beginning at 6 p.m. The event is the senior center's major annual fundraiser.
Mineral Wells High School's Reagan Carter arrived Thursday morning at Tarleton State University to attend the Rotary District 5790 Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) through Sunday at Tarleton State University.
Reagan is the daughter of Bill and Carey Carter. Rotary Club's Youth Services Chair Karyn Bullock took Reagan to RYLA, where they were met with some enthusiastic greetings.
Some of these officers also hold other positions of responsibility within the club and all are appreciated for their work and efforts that help make us a club that puts "Service Above Self."
Local architect Tim Hopkins on Wednesday showed Rotary Club members what he considers works of art.
Hopkins is the architect behind the renovation and restoration of the historic Crazy Water Hotel on North Oak Avenue. He showed images of the hotel's original 1925 drawings done in ink on pieces of linen. He said going back today and doing the measurements, they match the drawings exactly.
“I consider them works of art,” said Hopkins of the drawings he said were discovered in a small room in the hotel's basement. “They have been tremendously helpful to me.”
Wednesday's Mineral Wells Rotary Club meeting went swimmingly, thanks to Mineral Wells Moccasins swim team coach Macy Nix and two special guests.
Nix, along with her sister, Lexis, this year took over coaching and leading the team and its 48 members from ages under 8 to over 40. The team competes in Region IV of the Texas Amateur Athletic Federation.
Nix brought to Wednesday's meeting Devin Crenshaw and Dezden Duppstadt, both first-year swimmers who each placed in events this past Saturday in Weatherford, the first meet of the year competing against four other teams.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells welcomed Lewisville Morning Rotarians and Rotary District 5790 leaders John and Marilyn Pokorny to Wednesday's meeting to talk about the importance of our club's community image and visibility. They are pictured above with Mineral Wells Rotary Club President JJ Dugan, right.
The Pokornys touched on several ways members can help spread the word of Rotary throughout their social networks to make people in our community more aware of the club and its activities, mission and goals aimed at helping raise interest in membership and participation.
With Mineral Wells on a path to economic growth, Rhett Warren, center, hopes to use an existing path to further local progress and development.
An attorney and president of the Mineral Wells Area Chamber of Commerce board of directors told Rotary Club of Mineral Wells members on Wednesday he is working to charter a Friends of the Lake Mineral Wells State Park and Trailway non-profit fundraising and steering organization to make improvements on the 20-mile trailway that stretches from downtown Mineral Wells to Cartwright Park in Weatherford.
With four trailheads and 16 bridges along the route, two miles running through Mineral Wells are paved with asphalt, with the remaining 18 miles of the trail lined with crushed limestone. The former railroad bed for the Weatherford, Mineral Wells and Northwestern Railroad, the trail opened for public use in 1998.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells welcomed new Mineral Wells City Manager Randy Criswell, and his wife, Janie, to Wednesday's meeting. They are pictured above with club President JJ Dugan, left, and program chair Tanya Lukas, right.
The former Canyon city manager began his new assignment in Mineral Wells on May 6. He has been been busily catching up on all the projects, proposals and activities under way and on the planning books.
One of his most important immediate tasks was to become meet with and become acquainted with city administrators, department heads and as many of the approximately 175 people employed by Mineral Wells. He has also been absorbing and working on the city's new and critical economic development strategy following the report recently turned over by consultant Hawes Hill & Associates and the priorities outlined by the citizens' task force.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells on Tuesday awarded scholarships to six Mineral Wells High School seniors during the school's 2019 Scholarship Assembly in the high school auditorium.
Above, from left, Zander Adams, Brei Ruelas and Breanna Seaton were the recipients of $1,000 Rotary scholarships each. Presenting them on behalf of the club was 2020-21 president nominee Tonya Gary.
Tonya also formally presented Rotary Club of Mineral Wells' three Four-Way Speech Contest scholarships to the three winners from earlier this year. Mia Elder, second from left, won the local contest and received a $1,000 scholarship; Rachel Carter, left, was the winner of a $500 scholarship; and Bradley Aaron received a $250 scholarship.
Monies for local Rotary scholarships are made possible through the community's support of fundraisers including the U.S. flag subscription program, the annual Crazy Kicker 100 bike tour and other fundraisers throughout the year.
We congratulate not only our six scholarship winners, but all who received community, academic and athletic scholarships and aid to help them advance in their educational and career pursuits and guide them to success, and serve their communities and fellow humans and, like us, put "Service Above Self."
Six MWHS seniors receive local Rotary scholarships
That is theme of Leadership Mineral Wells Class 25 for its project to restore and re-light the famous "Welcome" sign located atop Bald Mountain.
But that is not all. This class of 23 members is taking things a "step" further with plans to create a park at the base of the mountain, with steps – reminiscent of the "Fat Man Reducer" stairs up East Mountain decades ago – leading to an observation platform just below the newly restored "Welcome" sign.
Members of the Leadership class presented their plans and fundraising efforts Wednesday to a room packed with Mineral Wells Rotarians and guests at Palo Pinto General Hospital.
Mineral Wells Rotarians on Wednesday were entertained by scenes performed by Community Christian School's One-Act Play varsity ensemble as they and the school's junior varsity and junior high acting troupes prepare for this weekend's state championships taking place in Mineral Wells.
The Community Christian School Warrior Theater Department will compete in its seventh Texas Christian Athletic Fellowship State One-Act Play Contest on May 4th following recent wins at the TCAF District Three Contest.
CCS Administrator and One-Act Play Director Doug Jefferson brought the high school varsity OAP performers and technicians to Rotary to perform portions of their play, "Over The Tavern," part comedy and part drama written by Tom Dudzik and set during 1950s America.
Congressman Michael Conaway spoke for about 30 minutes to members of Mineral Wells Rotary Club during the club's weekly Wednesday meeting at Palo Pinto General Hospital.
The seven-term conservative Republican from Odessa represents Texas' 11th Congressional District, which includes Palo Pinto County and 28 other West Central Texas counties.
"Wherever kids are there are predators," Shree Patterson of Children's Alliance Center for Palo Pinto County told Mineral Wells Rotarians on Wednesday.
If that sounds alarming, it is meant to be. They are words of caution and warning for parents trying to navigate today's technologies in a way that is safe for their children.
Patterson, pictured left, and CACPPC Executive Director and Rotarian Linda Porter-Bradford, center, were this week's guest speakers who delivered a program centered on April being Child Abuse Prevention Month. Also pictured is Rotary Club President JJ Dugan.
Fellow Rotarian and Mineral Wells Regional Airport Manager Wayne Sanderson last Wednesday gave club members an overview of how Mineral Wells and the airport is positioning itself to become a major center for unmanned aerial systems operations.
UAS is a rapidly growing sector of the aviation industry, with pilotless aircraft of all sizes used in an array of commercial and military applications.
Sanderson noted that Mineral Wells is in an optimal geographic location, being just outside the Metroplex restricted flight zone allows the airport to serve as a base for unmanned aerial system testing and flight operations.
Cody Jordan admits she can't draw, but she can envision and present her ideas to those who can draw and paint – especially on much larger scales then a regular piece of paper or canvas.
A Travis Elementary School music and drama teacher by trade, Cody (pictured above right) since last fall has taken on the role of coordinating the beautiful and thought-provoking downtown murals springing up on the sides of many buildings. She, along with the talented muralists, have dedicated hours and hours of research, labor and effort – and much of their own money – in helping bring downtown Mineral Wells back to life by covering up old and ugly buildings and giving them a new look, new life and new hope.
Anyone who has been downtown has seen them. A monarch butterfly with wings spread like those of an angel, forming the "W" along with a mountainous "M" over it for Mineral Wells. A female "pouring her heart out" as she springs from the sprout of a water can. Historic cars depicting decades of Mineral Wells history. The hope that is seen in the 1920s flapper blowing white leaves from a dandelion – and much more.
Palo Pinto County Historical Commission members Pam McCreary and Sandra Crawford on Wednesday gave Mineral Wells Rotarians a sneak peak of this year's Palo Pinto County on Tour event.
Held every two years, this year's tour is set for Saturday, April 27.
McCreary, pictured right, and Crawford, center, were special guests and speakers for this week's Rotary Club of Mineral Wells meeting, invited by program chair and PPCHC member Lottie Eubanks.
The event is a self-paced historical and wildflower driving tour. It can be started – and tickets purchased at – at any of the 2019 tour destinations.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells was proud to have interim City Manager Margie Rose speak at last Wednesday's weekly meeting, the club's first at its new home in the meeting room at Palo Pinto General Hospital.
Club members enjoyed the delicious lunch offerings in the hospital cafeteria and PPGH staff ensured the meeting room was ready and accommodating. Rotary Club appreciates PPGH welcoming us to the hospital for our weekly Wednesday meetings.
Rose told club members Mineral Wells citizens have much to be excited about with so many projects and positive things happening in the city, including downtown redevelopment and those plans going forward.
Two of this year's Rotary Four-Way Speech contestants, Rachel Carter and Mia Elder, gave their speeches to Rotary Club of Mineral Wells members on Wednesday. Bradley Aaron was unable to attend.
For the second straight year, Rachel won second place while Mia took first place, winning a $1,000 scholarship and the right to advance to district competition. Rachel received a $500 scholarship and Bradley a $250 scholarship.
Congrats and great jobs!
Rotarians hear Four-Way speeches from top two contestants
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells conducted its annual Four-Way Speech Contest on Thursday in Mineral Wells City Council chambers at the City Hall Annex, awarding $1,750 in scholarships.
The winners of the 2019 contest were Mia Elder (center) winner of a $1,000 scholarship; Rachel Carter (left) winner of a $500 scholarship; and Bradley Aaron, winner of a $250 scholarship.
For Rachel, it was her second time to receive a $500 Rotary Four-Way Speech scholarship after also taking second place in last year's speech contest.
Mia qualifies to advance to an upcoming district Four-Way Speech Contest with an opportunity to win more scholarship monies and advance farther.
Author Jim Gatewood visited Rotary Club of Mineral Wells on Wednesday to talk about his book, "Sid Richardson and Texas Oil," and regale members with several stories about the Athens, Texas, native who struck it big in the Texas oilfields.
Gatewood said it was while Richardson was staying in Mineral Wells that his fortunes change. Having done well initially in land and oil dealings, Richardson was an avid gambler who lost much of his money during a losing streak.
Libraries in the 21st Century are not just buildings where people read and check out books – though they still serve that purpose.
Today's libraries have transformed themselves into community centers and places of hands-on learning, creativity and social interaction.
That was the message Boyce Ditto Public Library Children's Librarian Jacque Fitzhugh brought to Rotary Club members during Wednesday's meeting at Holiday Hills Country Club. She is pictured above with Club President JJ Dugan.
Knowing college is not for everyone, Mineral Wells ISD has long been committed to making sure students have a chance to learn and are exposed to career opportunities outside classrooms.
MWISD has a large Career and Technical Education department giving students knowledge and hands-on experience in areas like agriculture, horticulture, culinary arts, floral design, automotive skills through its six-bay auto tech department, welding, computer-aided design, woodshop and construction, nursing and health care, veterinarian care and more.
Not only are students able to gain valuable knowledge and actual experience, but in several of these areas they can can get certifications and embark on their careers immediately after graduating high school while choosing how and whether to pursue their education and goals.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells President JJ Dugan, center, accepts on behalf of the club Mineral Wells ISD's recognition as its "January Partner in Education."
The presentation was made at Monday's MWISD school board meeting. Dugan is pictured with MWISD board President Maria Jones, left, and MWISD Superintendent and Rotarian John Kuhn.
Rotary Club recently provided Mineral Wells High School with a $4,000 grant to help homeless students with educational supplies and needs. Each year the local club's president selects a project to fund and assist, and helping local homeless high school students was the project Dugan selected for his term.
Led by Rotarian and First Financial Bank of Mineral Wells President Cory Crenshaw, three senior bank officers and Mineral Wells Police Department Det. Sgt. Darby Thomas on Wednesday gave local Rotarians a program on financial exploitation geared toward protecting elderly persons from scams and fraud.
Representing First Financial Bank were vice presidents Matt Sudderth (pictured above), Trina Richards and Maria Putman.
Like most banks and financial institutions, First Financial is committed to helping identify and stop scams and fraud, especially those that target seniors and the elderly. According to FFB's "Financial Exploitation" program, 1-in-7 senior citizens will become the victim of financial fraud – oftentimes by someone they trust like a family member or caregiver.
Mineral Wells Mayor Pro Tem and Ward 2 Councilwoman Tammy Underwood, above left, helped Rotary Club of Mineral Wells kick off 2019 as the year's first guest speaker. She is pictured with club President JJ Dugan.
The club met Wednesday, Jan. 2, at noon at Holiday Hills Country Club.
Underwood talked about the many positive things currently going in the city, highlighted by the improvements in downtown, and talked about some of the critical issues ahead, topped by council's working toward selection of a new city manager to replace fellow Rotarian Lance Howerton, who retired Dec. 31 after serving 25 years in the city leadership role.
Poverty in the community isn’t always visible, so many students suffer quietly. Every student should have access to the basic needs of life so that they can focus on their education.
At Mineral Wells ISD, approximately 70 percent of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. This means that most of the student body struggles to overcome many of the things taken for granted by others such as access to clothes, school supplies, personal hygiene products and many other simple necessities.
With the help of the Mineral Wells Rotary Club, a Ram Care Closet was created last year by the MWHS Interact Club to help serve MWHS and MWJH students whose families are struggling financially and in need of a little extra help with obtaining daily necessities. Space became an issue for the supplies, so the students had to come up with a better concept.
Each year, Rotary Club presidents across the U.S. and around the world select a project the club and its members can support through grants using local club dollars that are then matched by Rotary International.
This year, Rotary Club of Mineral Wells President JJ Dugan wanted to help local homeless high school students. It was a matter weighing on his heart and mind after Rotarians the previous heard a program on homeless students.
For his president's project Dugan received club approval to provide financial support to those students in need and on Wednesday presented Mineral Wells High School counselors Hope Mesler, pictured center, and Stella Singleton, right, with a $4,000 check. Dugan submitted the project through a grant application that was approved for funding.
Amy O'Bannon, left, and Dorothy Clark told Mineral Wells Rotarians Wednesday about their CBD – cannabidiol – products that, when used, won't make you "stoned" but could help reduce or completely relieve a variety of medical ailments or issues.
They explained their Colorado-manufactured products – soft gels, lotions, salves, capsules, edibles and flavored tinctures – are legal in Texas without a prescription because, while they are made from hemp, they contain 0 percent THC, the active ingredient in marijuana.
Rotarian Christy Kik Dorr, right, spoke to Mineral Wells Rotary Club on Wednesday about the new location and opportunities for Cocoon Pregnancy Resource Center.
Dorr started the center in 2005 at Wolters Industrial Park before moving it to the church previously known as Leaning Tree Church, which today is Grace Church, off Old Millsap Highway. The church took over the center and did a good job continuing and growing the faith-based ministry, resource and outreach organization but needed to turn its operations over to someone else.
Rotarian and Mineral Wells Industrial Foundation Executive Director Steve Butcher said while much is being made of the changes and improvements downtown – and rightly so – he wants people to know about other positive economic developments taking place.
"Brett Hobson is right in the middle of it," Butcher told Mineral Wells Rotarians at the club's weekly Wednesday meeting at holiday Hills Country Club.
Comfort Experts-Hobson Heating & Air, which started in Mineral Wells five decades ago and is based in Weatherford, is returning to Mineral Wells in a big way with a new and unique residential trade school at Wolters Industrial Park.
West District Superintendent for the Central Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church Rev. Dr. Lisa Neslony, center, was today's speaker, sharing with Rotarians a mission trip to Kenya in January in which several people from Mineral Wells, including today's program chair and Rotarian Rev. Eric Douglas, pictured left.
Rev. Margie Holmes of Central UMC in Mineral Wells and First UMC Youth Director Hannah Newcomer were also among those who went on the mission trip.
Mineral Wells Rotarian Connie Ball attained her seventh Paul Harris Society level in foundational giving and was honored with the presentation of a new pin by club President JJ Dugan to commemorate her giving milestone.
A Rotarian becomes a member of the Paul Harris Society and reaches a new level with every $1,000 donated to Rotary International's Annual Fund, PolioPlus Fund, or approved global grants. Those dollars are used to improve life and living conditions for impoverished people around the world. The purpose of the Paul Harris Society is to honor and thank individuals for their generous, ongoing support of The Rotary Foundation.
Congratulations Connie on your unselfish giving to Rotary in support of its humanitarian missions around the world.
Kristy Trammell, RYLA Class 2011, was Wednesday's guest speaker for Rotary Club of Mineral Wells' weekly meeting at Holiday Hills County Club.
Along with being the granddaughter of Rotarian Connie Ball, pictured left and the program chair, Trammell is a May 2017 graduate of Abilene Christian University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science: Livestock Management and Production.
She is now with the USDA Farm Services Agency as a county operations trainee in Taylor County (Abilene).
Trammell talked about the agriculture products in Palo Pinto County and across the state. She said the county has about 47,000 heads of beef cattle. She said she enjoys working with commodity products such as grapes used in wineries and peaches and pecans grown in this area.
Also pictured is club President JJ Dugan.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells meets every Wednesday at noon at HHCC for lunch, networking, updates on club projects and a program of interest. If you are interested in learning more about Rotary Cub and becoming a member, contact a Rotarian. You probably know at least one local member – possibly several.
Recognized as the world’s fastest reader thanks to the cutting-edge accelerated learning techniques he developed that turn information overload into information assets, Howard Berg, pictured right, was the guest speaker at the Sept. 5, 2018, meeting.
It was a very interesting and entertaining program. Berg is respected internationally for his contribution to the learning process, he is listed in the 1990 Guinness Book of World Records for reading more than 25,000 words a minute and writing more than 100 words a minute. Howard uses his talents to train you on how to stay on top of the information your success depends upon.
He shared several of his reading retention and motivational tips, and offered his services to help adults and students learn to read faster and retain more information. Find videos Berg has created on YouTube or visit https://hbspeedreading.com/.
The tip of the Berg when it comes to reading faster, retaining more
With a $120,000 fundraising goal, the 2018 United Way of Palo Pinto County campaign is ready to begin Saturday.
The campaign officially runs through Oct. 31, but as United Way Executive Director Shaina Davis, pictured center, told members of Rotary Club of Mineral Wells on Wednesday, every day is a day one can give to United Way.
In fact, United Way has fundraisers throughout the year, including the Mother-Son Dance in the spring and the upcoming Penny Auction. This year, a new fundraiser is being planned, a winter beauty pageant. Details on that to come later.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells President JJ Dugan, right, on Wednesday presented Connie Ball with a Rotary District 5790 "People of Action" honor.
Rotary District 5790 Governor Gerald Robinson brought the honor for Ball and three other members to the Aug.15 meeting, however Ball was unable to attend so Dugan made the presentation at this week's meeting.
The tote bags contained gifts, including a Rotary phone and device charger. Ball is a past Rotary Club president and is the current Community Service chair director. Among the many things she does for Rotary Club are scheduling Meals on Wheel deliveries for members every Friday and the elementary school book reading schedule promoting the club's emphasis on childhood literacy.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells President JJ Dugan, right, on Wednesday presented Tonya Gary and President-Elect David May with Rotary District 5790 "People of Action" honors. Rotary District 5790 Governor Gerald Robinson brought the honors to last week's meeting, however neither Gary nor May were able to attend so Dugan made the presentations at this week's meeting.
The tote bags contained gifts, including a Rotary phone and device charger. May was additionally presented the book "Perfect Engagement: A practical guide to a more dynamic Rotary club."
Besides being president-elect, May currently holds positions of flag program chair and media chair. Tonya Gary is the current Club Service chair and has been involved in several areas including fund-raising and social events as well as the Crazy Kicker 100 cycling event.
(This story provided courtesy of the Mineral Wells Index.)
While some talked and others balked, Randy and Misty Nix went to work, putting their money and their hearts into rebuilding and revitalizing downtown Mineral Wells. They are pictured above with Mineral Wells Rotary Club President JJ Dugan.
Those who work in or recently visited or driven through the city’s central business district have seen the immediate uplift through the Nixes’ acquisition of buildings that are being transformed, restored, refurbished and – more importantly – occupied or soon-to-be occupied with new businesses.
Emergency services in Palo Pinto County are beginning to get a little more confusing for some. County Judge David Nicklas spoke Wednesday at this week's Rotary Club of Mineral Wells meeting to try and clear up some of that confusion.
County commissioners recently received a petition from a group asking the county put on the Nov. 6 ballot a question seeking to create Emergency Services District No. 4. The proposed district's boundary is the former Possum Kingdom East EMS service boundary that encompasses the east side of Possum Kingdom Lake south to U.S. Highway 180 then west to the Stephens County line.
The petitioning group wants to contract for 911 EMS service within its new ESD if approved by voters. ESD No. 1, which covers the entire county, already has 911 EMS service for the rural areas of the county not covered by ESD No. 2 in the southeast and Santo area, and Mineral Wells and the area covered by the city's EMS. Sacred Cross EMS is currently under contract by ESD No. 1 to provide that paid, 24/7 service.
Arlington Sunrise Rotary Club member and past president Dwayne Lee, center, visited the Mineral Wells club Wednesday, giving his program and photographic presentation on his trip to the five beaches used June 6, 1944, by the U.S. military and allied forces to storm Normandy, France, on what is known as D-Day to free the French from Hitler's German reign.
Calling it a "bucket list" trip, Lee has two return trips planned, taking 10 people. The first one is filled but the second one in August 2019 has seven openings for anyone interested in going.
A professional photographer and owner of Southern Flair Photography, Lee showed Rotarians how the beaches and coastline look today and the many memorials and museums created by the French to remember the fight for Freedom and honor the thousands of Americans and allied soldiers killed in what is history's largest military invasion by air, land and sea. He also showed and described the American cemetery there that many have seen in person or in photos of the perfectly lined rows of white crosses and stars.
Mineral Wells Assistant Fire Chief Ryan Dunn, second from left, and MWPD Patrolman Thomas Lively, second from right, are the first recipients of Rotary Club of Mineral Wells' "Above and Beyond" awards honoring local first responders.
Rotary Vocational Service Chair Keri Walden, far right, was asked by club President David Cairone, left, to initiate a first responders recognition program. Walden, who is also the city's Municipal Court judge, said she sent nomination forms to law enforcement, fire and EMS departments in the county.
This “Leaders of Tomorrow” experience includes forums for teamwork, communication, and consensus building in an environment that challenges personal and team responsibilities. Through cabin activities, athletic events, educational workshops, and team-building exercises they learn to work with other leaders in your community to achieve a common goal.
This annual leadership summer camp provides almost two hundred outstanding high school student leaders, opportunities to expand and hone their leadership skills in a weeklong program.
Still a relatively new organization, Parker County Economic Development Council Executive Director Tim Von Kennel and Executive Assistant Robin Dalton spoke at a well-attended Rotary Club of Mineral Wells meeting Wednesday that focused in part on how the council can work with the City of Mineral Wells as well as Parker County and Weatherford.
Regional economic development efforts are not uncommon. They are often ways for two or more areas to combine and pool economic development resources and dollars to help compete against larger economic development entities and efforts.
Rotarian and new Mineral Wells Mayor Christopher Perricone, left, was guest speaker for today's Mineral Wells Rotary Club meeting at Holiday Hills Country Club. He is pictured with program chair for the week Tanya Lukas.
Perricone spoke for about 30 minutes, including a question-and-answer session in which he asked Rotarians and guests in attendance their thoughts and suggestions.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells presented scholarships on May 15, 2018, to Mineral Wells High School graduating seniors Esmerald Gonzalez, Jamiah Fisher, AJ Butler and Sevens Seargeant. The presentations were made by Rotarian Janette Green during the annual scholarships awards assembly at the high school auditorium. The club previously presented Four-Way Speech contest scholarships to Kate Gilbreath, Rachel Carter and Kiarra Pruitt.
STAR Council on Substance Abuse is primarily a regional non-profit agency providing comprehensive drug and alcohol addiction treatment services and programs.
But they offer much more than that.
Terah Gibson on Wednesday outlined for Mineral Wells Rotarians all of the programs STAR Council offers, including their work in schools with youth offering Life Skills and anti-bullying sessions, as well as anti-drug and alcohol messages and even drug testing. STAR Council also offers a Battering Intervention Prevention Program (BIPP), and recently hosted a sexual assault training and education symposium in Mineral Wells. The council also works with other non-profit organizations, such as Back Pack Buddies and school free lunch programs, Gibson said.
Community Christian School's One-ActPlay cast and crew performed several scenes from its state-winning one-act play "The Diviners."
Under the direction of Administrator Doug Jefferson, CCS won its sixth consecutive Texas Christian Athletic/Artistic Fellowship one-act play championship. The state competition was once again hosted by CCS at the Mineral Wells campus of Weatherford College theater.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells was fortunate to have District 5790 Governor-Elect Gerald Robinson, from Flower Mound, pictured second from left, visit the club this past Wednesday. Also pictured, from left, are Mineral Wells club President David Cairone, club Foundation Chair Nancy Cameron and President-Elect JJ Dugan.
Robinson touched on several Rotary topics, but especially spoke about the district's June 2019 service project trip to the Central America Republic of Guatemala, hoping to take 150 Rotarians, families and friends to work and fellowship with families, people and fellow Rotarians.
Public libraries are not dead. In fact, they are teeming with activities and users, in person and online, and remain one of the best sources of free information and data.
That is the message new Boyce Ditto Public Library Director Louanne Noel brought to Rotary Club of Mineral Wells. She is pictured above center, with program chair Tonya Gary, left, and club President David Cairone.
The contestants of this year' Rotary Club of Mineral Wells Four-Way Speech contest, which took Place Feb. 15, presented their orations to the club during Wednesday's weekly program at Holiday Hills Country Club.
Program chair for the day Karyn Bullock introduced Kiarra Pruitt (third place), Rachel Carter (second place) and Kate Gilbreath (first place), noting that all three Mineral Wells High School students are in the overall top 10 academically of their class. Pruitt and Gilbreath are seniors and Carter is a junior.
Blake Kettler, area project manager of Possum Kingdom Lake for the Brazos River Authority, gave an informative and detailed presentation today to a packed Rotary meeting room about the BRA, the watershed it manages and controls and Possum Kingdom Lake. He is pictured with program chair for the day Stacy Choate, left, and club President David Cairone, right. They are standing beside a model of a gate used on Morris Sheppard Dam at Possum Kingdom Lake.
With a watershed stretching from the Texas Panhandle almost at the New Mexico state line to the Gulf of Mexico south of Freeport, it totals 1,050 miles and comprises 44,620 square miles, 42,000 of which are in Texas. The Brazos River begins at the confluence of the upper forks of the river, the Salt and Double Mountain, in Stonewall County. The Clear Fork joins the river just above Possum Kingdom Lake in Young County.
Rotarian and Mineral Wells Municipal Airport Manager Wayne Sanderson is making final preparations for takeoff, celebrating the airport's 75th year of operations.
An event is charted for Saturday, May 19, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and will feature what he hopes will be 50-100 planes, a car and motorcycle show, live music, food trucks and a program talking about the airport's history and impact on regional aviation.
Sanderson said he is working on efforts to grow and expand the airport. With the population growth forecasts in Parker County, he envisions a need for more hangars. He said plans are to add 10 a year for at least the next several years to meet the expected demand. He said the airport is also seeing more requests from plane owners wanting to build private hangars.
Like traffic zooming through the center of town, plans to begin redeveloping downtown Mineral Wells are on a fast pace to initial implementation.
Mineral Wells Rotarians on Wednesday heard a more in-depth presentation from City Manager Lance Howerton about the designs and plans for a downtown makeover that includes gateway features to help give downtown an identity, landscaping, new intersection features, canopies and pedestrian alley to take visitors from the parking areas to the shops and restaurants on North Oak Avenue.
Mineral Wells Area Chamber of Commerce Tourism and Marketing Director Ryan Oliver, pictured right, not only wants people outside Mineral Wells to know what the area has to offer – he wants people already here to know.
Oliver was Wednesday's program guest speaker, telling Rotarians about the chamber's "Spring Break Staycation" event on Friday, March 16. It is an effort to show locals some of the attractions and activities available at home in hopes they will spread the word, or know how to answer the question, "What is there to do here?"
"Staycation" is a day-long tour aboard a Public Transit bus that will take "vacationers" to the Old Jail Museum in Palo Pinto, the Mineral Wells Fossil Park, downtown for lunch at the Brazos Market & Bistro, then the National Vietnam War Museum, Lake Mineral Wells State Park & Trailway, Clark Gardens and Famous Water Company.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells today inducted three new members into the organization. Pictured with club President David Cairone, left, are new Rotarians Christy Kik Dorr, Bill Jones and Stacy Choate.
Rotary Club members gave them a standing ovation and encouragement to follow the Rotary creed of "Service Above Self" while following the principles of Rotary's Four-Way Test.
For information about becoming a Rotarian look for the membership links on the club's homepage or ask a Rotarian about the organization. The club meets every Wednesday at noon at Holiday Hills Country Club for lunch, networking, updates on club news and events and a program of interest.
Rotary on the grow with three new members inducted
Are you ready to walk across Texas? If you don't want to actually walk across the Lone Star State, you could do the equivalent in combination with team members in a friendly challenge with other teams.
It is called "Walk Across Texas" and put on annually by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service to encourage people to walk and exercise.
The event seeks teams of no more than eight people that combine their total miles walked during the eight-week challenge period to determine which teams walked the farthest. The idea is for each team to walk at least 834 miles – the distance across Texas.
The winner of our 2018 Four-Way Test Speech Contest this evening is Kate Gilbreath, center. She received a $1,000 scholarship and can advance to the Rotary District 5790 competition. In second place and receiving a $500 scholarship was Rachel Carter, left. The third-place contestant was Kiarra Pruitt, winning a $250 scholarship. Our judges and timekeeper were Rotarians Wayne Sanderson, Barbara Tucker, Keri Walden and Janette Green. Congratulations ladies. We wish you the best in all of your pursuits and endeavors.
Three students win Rotary scholarships in 4-Way Test Speech Contest
Pictured, from left, with Mineral Wells ISD Special Program Director Natalie Griffin are Mineral Wells ISD librarians Beth Friedel Henderson (Mineral Wells Junior High School), Cathy Hammond (Travis Elementary and district librarian) and Kira Buck (Lamar Elementary). The three librarians were an open book for Rotarians on Wednesday, talking about the programs, services and community outreach offered by the district.
Henderson gave an example of how much libraries have changed and continue to change. At Mineral Wells Junior High School, the library is not a place where you will be "shuuushed" for talking. It is typically a hive of activity with different groups doing many different things such as computer instruction or programming and Maker Space hands-on activities.
Author, cowboy poet and storyteller Elaine Smith was Wednesday's program speaker. An Erath County resident, Smith talked about her work and relationship with the Texas Commission on the Arts as a speaker.
She talked about her mother, who climbed down from her log cabin on a West Virginia mountainside to join the Women's Army Corps and serve the nation during World War II as a clerk, stationed in Carlsbad, N.M.
Smith shared a couple of her poems, including one of her favorites, "The Blue Buffalo," and her biography of Virginia Reger, a rodeo star who trained her horse to jump over cars.
She also discussed topics and tips for self-improvement and time management, showing some techniques she uses in her daily life.
Smith is pictured with Rotary Club of Mineral Wells President David Cairone, left, and program chair for the day J.J. Dugan. Learn more about Elaine here.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells meets every Wednesday at noon at Holiday Hills Country Club for lunch, networking, updates on club news and events and a program of interest. Come join us.
Dublin-area author, cowboy poet visits Rotary Club
There is always something exciting going on at the Doss Heritage and Culture Center in Weatherford, where lately people have been overcome with cases of cabin fever, leading to excitement and anticipation of the future.
Lorraine Crutcher, pictured center, is the marketing and events manager for The Doss. She spoke at Wednesday's weekly Rotary Club of Mineral Wells meeting to talk about the Doss, and in particular development of its Pioneer Cabin Park, located on about 2 acres of property acquired from Weatherford College on the west side of the DHCC, located at Texas Drive and Santa Fe Drive.
The village has been in development since 2014. Ground was broken in February 2016. The first cabin, the McDonald Cabin, was moved to the park last Sept. 14th. Two weeks ago, DHCC received its second, the Strain cabin that was moved from the Brock area and through Weatherford on Santa Fe Drive.
Interim Weatherford College President Brent Baker, pictured center, spoke to Rotary Club of Mineral Wells on Wednesday to discuss the college’s current local campus and offerings as well as discussions and plans for expanding the college’s presence locally. Also pictured are program chair John Kuhn, left, and club President David Cairone.
Baker said discussions for nearly two years have taken place between college officials and local school, government, business and civic leaders about opening a branch campus in Mineral Wells.
“I think we all agree that long term Fort Wolters is not the answer,” Baker said, referring to Weatherford College’s Mineral Wells Campus, which he said the main building is “one HVAC hiccup from becoming a major expense.”
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells on Wednesday inducted Kimberly Acheson Hoffman as its newest member. A Realtor for Clark Real Estate Group, Kim is a Mineral Wells resident. Her membership sponsor is Saskia Vaughan, who presented Kim with her membership pin. Kim has already become involved in a couple of areas with the club, participating on the Vocation Services and Social committees. Pictured above with club President David Cairone, we welcome Kim into Rotary Club of Mineral Wells and look forward to her service to help better our community, nation and world alongside her fellow Rotarians.
Kimberly Acheson Hoffman inducted into Rotary Club
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells is seeking area high school students to compete in our annual Four-Way Speech Contest for a chance to one a first ($1,000), second ($500) or third place ($250) scholarship cash prize.
The purpose of the 4-Way Test Speech Contest is to foster the principles of ethics in everyday life as well as in business. The contest is designed to introduce high school students to Rotary by creating interest through a competitive speech contest, sponsored by their local Rotary club.
The speech contestants may speak on any subject to which they can apply “The Four-Way Test” The speech must reflect clearly the practical application of all four points of the Four-Way Test.
All high schools in Palo Pinto County have been notified so see your campus counselor for information to enter. The deadline to enter is Feb. 9 and the contest is Feb. 15 at Mineral Wells City Hall Annex.
County high school students sought to compete in Four-Way Test speech contest
Chief Radiologist Joe Erwin on Wednesday gave Mineral Wells Rotarians a picture of Palo Pinto General Hospital's digital imaging capabilities.
The hospital is almost a year into the use of its GE LightSpeed 64-slice CT Scanner. CT stands for computerized tomography, a process that takes and combines a series of X-Ray images from different angles – in this case a 360-degree view – and creates a cross-section display of the individual images, or slices, with much more detail than standard X-Rays.
A third-degree black belt preparing to test for his fourth-degree black belt, American karate master Michael Lovell shared with Mineral Wells Rotary Club members on Wednesday his approach to teaching the martial art form.
No matter the age, Lovell begins with teaching manners and respect, followed by other life skills such as saying "Yes ma'am" or "No sir."
For Lovell karate is a multi-discipline martial art that requires self-control and focus, something he said he had to learn as a quick-tempered kid growing up.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells members recently donated clothing items, presents and gift cards to give to students in Mineral Wells ISD who are homeless. Some live in their cars, some stay with friends, some bouncing home to home. There are several dozen such students in the district. Gifts were presented today by Rotarian Tonya Gary to the high school and junior high school, with Mineral Wells Junior High School Principal Shanna Coker pictured accepting those gifts. Thanks also to Rotarian and MWISD Public Information Director Karyn Bullock for coordinating this effort. We hope the gifts bring some joy to these students so that, while we don't know who they are, they know they are not forgotten at Christmastime.
Rotary provides Christmas gifts for homeless students
Palo Pinto General Hospital's new surgeon and OB/GYN Dr. Rebecca Poole, center, introduced herself to Rotary Club of Mineral Wells members on Wednesday.
She was invited to speak by Rotarian and PPGH Chief Executive Officer Harris Brooks, right. Also pictured is club President David Cairone.
Poole discussed her approach to medicine, health care and women's health including the use of estrogenic hormones.
If you would like to become a Rotarian and help us put "Service Above Self" in our community, contact any member for more information. You can also download a membership application here.
Three new members welcomed into Mineral Wells Rotary
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells is continuing to hand out $1,000 checks to each of the six local groups that serviced Rotary's flag routes this year.
Pictured above representing Mineral Wells High School Theatre are Principal Jon Almeida, MWHS Theatre Troup 4607 President Tori Echols and Theatre Director Seth Hunter Williams.
Shaina Davis, center, executive director for United Way of Palo Pinto County, accepts a check for $1,050 from Mineral Wells Rotary Club for its share of rider registrations from the Oct. 21 Crazy Kicker 100. Davis attended Wednesday's weekly meeting and is pictured with club President Daivid Cairone, left, and this year's Crazy Kicker 100 Chairman JJ Dugan.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells partnered with United Way of Palo Pinto County to share $5 of every rider registration with the non-profit agency that supports 11 local and area non-profit organizations providing services to people young and old throughout Palo Pinto County.
Rotary Club intends to continue that relationship with UWPPC for next year's ride, set for Saturday, Oct. 20. Registration will begin Jan. 1. The club thanks all of the riders who took part in this year's event and for helping be part of helping the citizens of our community.
United Way of Palo Pinto County's 2017 fundraising goal continues, and a donation or pledge can be made anytime. Click the UWPPC link above for more information, or contact Davis at 940-325-4848 or uwppc@sbcglobal.net.
Rotary shares Crazy Kicker 100 proceeds with United Way
JC Colton, center, was this week's Rotary Club guest speaker. He is pictured with club President David Cairone, left, and program chair Jeanette Ender.
Colton is associate dean for Instructional Services at Weatherford College's Education Center in Mineral Wells, and chairman of the Palo Pinto County Hospital Board. He talked about serving Mineral Wells and Palo Pinto County in those capacities. Colton has served on the hospital board for 20 years and counting.
He praised his fellow hospital board members, Rotarian and Palo Pinto General Hospital CEO Harris Brooks and Rotarians and PPGH department heads Mary Braddock (human resources), Diane Brown (foundation and auxiliary) and James Fesser (nursing director) as well everyone who works at the hospital for their dedication to quality and care.
Wednesday's program was valuable and appraised high, with Palo Pinto Appraisal District Chief Appraiser Donna Kozlovsky, pictured center, giving the program. She brought with her PPAD Deputy Chief Appraiser Chuck Lyon, far right, and Exemption Clerk Amanda Salters, second from right.
Also pictured are Rotary Club President-Elect JJ Dugan, far left, and this week's program chair Charles Thompson.
Kozlovsky gave an overview of PPAD and how it goes about appraising the values of residential and commercial properties. Kozlovsky said they try to inspect every property at least once every three years, and the goal is to appraise properties to within 95 percent to 100 percent of market value.
With a number of new Rotary Club of Mineral Wells members, a new member orientation is planned for Tuesday, Nov. 14.
This is a change from the original Nov. 9 date.
The meeting will take place at Four Seasons Dental at 510 S.E. 1st St. Saskia Vaughan will lead new members through about an hour-long orientation on what it means to a member of Rotary International and Rotary Club of Mineral Wells.
Much of Saskia's presentation will be centered on this new member orientation guide. This brief orientation is not only good for new members, but other members are also invited to attend if interested.
If planning to attend, RSVP Saskia by Friday, Nov. 10, at vaugdds@suddenlinkmail.com. There will be light snacks, wine and cheese.
Mineral Wells Rotarians now know just what how big American Medical Response Inc. is and the impact it has nationally and internationally after AMR's Director of Fleet Resource Initiatives Ken Thom, pictured second from left, spoke at Wednesday's weekly meeting at Holiday Hills Country Club. Also pictured, from left, are Mineral Wells Industrial Foundation President Richard Ball, Area Growth Council Executive Director Steve Butcher, Rotary Club President David Cairone and Mineral Wells City Manager Lance Howerton.
Thom will be over AMR's new ambulance and fleet refurbishment facility – the company's first such plant – in Mineral Wells. AMR is currently renovating the former Baker Hughes facility on Tradeway Drive in the industrial park off U.S. Highway 180 East, making about $1.3 million in changes and improvements.
The property is 19 acres with seven buildings, which Thom said is larger than what AMR currently needs, but he said it has given rise to future possibilities of expanding the types of production there along with other potential opportunities he said company officials are exploring.
As a state representative from Frisco, Patrick Fallon is accustomed to running races. Political ones.
The one he ran in early January 2016 was completely different.
With little training and no experience, the former Notre Dame football player and U.S. Air Force captain did the unthinkable and practically impossible for someone like him – complete the World Marathon Challenge, running seven marathons on seven continents in seven days.
This week's Rotary Club of Mineral Wells program was out of this world. Literally.
Guest speaker for today's program was Bernard Suchocki, pictured center with Rotary program chairman JJ Dugan, left, and club President David Cairone.
Before he became an attorney and member of Willow Park City Council in Parker County, Suchocki was an aerospace engineer for NASA from 1971 to 1981, developing software and working on projects, including Apollo missions and the famous and nearly catastrophic Apollo 13 flight.
Mike Allen, speaking as a citizen and not the Mineral Wells mayor, spoke today to Rotary Club of Mineral Wells to raise awareness and support of the Nov. 7 city bond election.
Voters living in Mineral Wells will decide the fates of three bond propositions totaling $17.26 million. Listed separately, voters can approve or reject any of the three propositions. They are:
EVANSTON, Ill. (September 21, 2017) — Rotary has entered a new partnership with the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) to enhance its peace and conflict resolution efforts with data-driven methodologies and tools; as it honors six ‘Champions of Peace.’
The partnership with IEP – a global think tank that pioneered a conceptual framework for ‘Positive Peace’ – enables both organizations to work together to create an online learning platform with webinars and interactive tools to teach Rotary members and Rotary Peace Fellows to apply new peacebuilding methods to their communities while addressing underlying causes of conflicts. In addition, the partnership allows for the development of local workshops hosted by Rotary clubs to educate communities about positive peace.
Palo Pinto County Judge David Nicklas presented Rotary Club of Mineral Wells members Wednesday with information about the Nov. 7 sales tax election for Emergency Services District No. 1.
All registered county voters can cast a ballot for or against the proposition. However if passed, sales taxes for ESD No. 1 would only be collected outside Mineral Wells, ESD No. 2, Graford, Gordon, Mingus and Strawn.
Those smaller incorporated towns outside Mineral Wells and Santo would still benefit from county paid EMS service – and the Santo and ESD No. 2 areas could in the future receive full-time paid EMS service should they opt to consolidate. But that is later down the road.
Through a matching foundation grant, Rotary Club of Mineral Wells has teamed up with the Palo Pinto County Humane Society provide free rabies vaccinations for pets living in low-income households.
Rotarian and PPCHS member Nancy Cameron is heading up the effort, that will provide 200 free rabies shots this fall, and another 200 in the spring of 2018.
See the flyer and contact Nancy to see if you qualify as a single person, a household of two adults or a family of four or more.
Nancy said she hopes to provide rabies vaccination clinics in the future through the program.
Rotary teams up with Humane Society to provide free rabies shots for low-income households
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells Treasurer Dan Steele, left, and President David Cairone hold the banner the club received Aug. 19 for 100 percent membership contribution to Rotary International's "End Polio Now" campaign.
The Mineral Wells chapter was one of three out of the 70 clubs in Rotary District 5790 to earn the distinction, announced and presented at a district educational seminar in Fort Worth on Aug. 19.
Thanks to Toastmasters, Bill Smith and the other 22 members of the local chapter, "Something To Talk About," are never left speechless. They are always prepared to say something and do it with confidence and without anxiety – whether to a small group, a large group or talking with co-workers or friends.
Smith, pictured second from left, gave Wednesday's program at Holiday Hills Country Club, joined by past club president Ninfa Flewitt, left. Also pictured are today's program chair Nancy Cameron and club President David Cairone.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells President David Cairone, left, congratulates Rotarian Charles Thompson for reaching Level Three of giving to Rotary's Paul Harris Fellowship Foundation.
A six-year member of Rotary, Thompson has surpassed $3,000 in donations to Rotary International's foundation.
Over 30 years ago, Rotary made a promise to the world to eradicate polio. When we get there, it will be only the second time that a disease affecting humans has been eradicated. Now we're on the brink of history, thanks to the support of partners like the Gates Foundation. Let's drop to zero. Learn more at www.endpolio.org.
Sam F. Owori was elected to serve as president of Rotary International in 2018-19 and would have been the second African Rotarian, and the first Ugandan, to hold that office. He died on 13 July, at age 76, from complications after surgery.
Owori is largely credited with the tremendous increase in clubs in Uganda, from nine in 1988, when he was district governor, to 89 today.
Christopher delivered a motivational and inspiring talk and overview of Rotary International and District 5790. The district is the largest geographically in Texas – encompassing 31 counties – and in the number of clubs at 70. District 5790 has 3,133 members, 231 Rotaractors and seven Interact clubs, including one at Mineral Wells High School.
Barry Rassin, of the Rotary Club of East Nassau, New Providence, Bahamas, is the selection of the Nominating Committee for President of Rotary International for 2018-19. He will be declared the president-elect on 1 September if no challenging candidates have been suggested.
As president, Rassin aims to strengthen our public image and our use of digital tools to maximize Rotary’s reach.
“Those who know what good Rotary clubs do will want to be a part of it, and we must find new models for membership that allow all interested in our mission to participate,” he says. “With Rotary more in the public eye, we will attract more individuals who want to be part of and support a membership organization that accomplishes so much good around the world.”
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells this week announced a partnership with United Way of Palo Pinto County through its Crazy Kicker 100 bike tour.
This year's 14th annual ride is Saturday, Oct. 21. Rotary is donating $5 of every rider registration to United Way of Palo Pinto County to help support the 11 local non-profit agencies that receive United Way funding.
Growing up Kansas – just 40 miles from Greensburg which in May 2007 was literally blown off the map by a giant tornado – Jerry Shoemaker knows the importance of storm safety and shelters.
Pictured second from right above, Shoemaker grew up in a time when people in the nation's heartland were told in the event of a tornado to get in the bathtub and pull a mattress over your head, get under a stairwell or inside an interior room or closet. While that might protect you from debris, it wouldn't protect you if your house is lifted up and made airborne while ripping it apart.
Mineral Wells historian Phil Garrett knows people are prone to have stories and tales, but when it comes to facts there are two kinds of sources – primary and secondary.
Garrett said he likes to go right to the source, or sources, when they are available, and he has when it comes to talk of ghosts and other interesting tales often told about the Baker Hotel and other Mineral Wells locales.
Lake Mineral Wells State Park & Trailway Assistant Superintendent David Owens, left, returned to Rotary Club of Mineral Wells on Wednesday to talk about the park's many offerings and programs. He is pictured with club President David Cairone.
The park includes a 640-acre lake and almost 13 miles of hiking/biking/horseback trails. You can bring your own boat or rent one (flat-bottom boats with trolling motors, canoes, kayaks, paddle boards and rowboats). No skiing, tubing or jet skis. Call 940-325-3630 for information.
Rose and Brandon Jordan of Mission Mineral Wells visited Rotary Club of Mineral Wells on Wednesday to talk about last week's Summer Mission project in the Pasadena Heights neighborhood. Rotary Club of Mineral Wells donated $2,000 to the project, which was matched by Mineral Wells Noon Lions Club
Mineral Wells High School junior Rachel Carter tells Rotarians about her experiences when she recently attended the RYLA Conference in Denton. RYLA is an acronym for Rotary Youth Leadership Awards. The club sponsored Rachel and Xavier Williams. Xavier was unable to attend Wednesday's meeting. Rotary Club of Mineral Wells meets every Wednesday at noon at Holiday Hills Country for networking, updates on club projects and a program of interest. Come join us!
David Cairone presided over his first meeting as Rotary Club of Mineral Wells president today. David outlined his goals and vision for the club for the coming year, one in which he hopes to expand the club's presence into more areas of the community. The club meets every Wednesday at noon at Holiday Hills Country Club. If you would like to be part of the things Rotary does for Mineral Wells and the area, come join us or visit http://mineralwellsrotary.org.
Colleen Horan, center, of Carter BloodCare and Pat Talkington, right, a Palo Pinto General Hospital volunteer who has organized the community blood drive for four decades, talked Wednesday to Rotary Club of Mineral Wells members about the importance of donating blood regularly – not only to help others but also for the personal health benefits.
The next local blood drive is Monday, July 10, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Palo Pinto General Hospital parking lot, and 3-7 p.m. at the Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church’s Family Life Center.
Mineral Wells Municipal Airport manager Wayne Sanderson sees the facility really taking off in the coming years as growth moves west across Parker County.
A Rotarian himself, Sanderson spoke to Rotary Club of Mineral Wells at its weekly Wednesday luncheon. Sanderson, left, is pictured above with club President Jimmy Walker.
Parker County Judge Mark Riley was Wednesday's luncheon guest speaker, telling Rotarians of his county's growth and efforts to manage that growth.
The one-time radio personality and county commissioner will in 2018 make a bid for his sixth term as judge of Parker County, overseeing the county's daily operations and budget.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells on Wednesday presented a $2,000 check to Mission Mineral Wells for its Summer Mission home rehabilitation project in July – and challenged other local clubs and organizations to match the donation.
Accepting the check were Pulse Ministries Executive Director Rose Jordan, center, and her husband, Brandon. Presenting the check is club President Jimmy Walker.
Palo Pinto County Sheriff Brett McGuire laid down the law at Rotary Club of Mineral Wells on Wednesday.
Not really. But the sheriff marking his first five months in office did speak to Rotarians about his term as sheriff so far, some of the changes he has made and other operational tidbits of information.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells awarded its 2017 scholarships to Dane Rasmussen, Sydney Fewell and Savanah Olsovsky, presented by Tonya Folmar Gary. The scholarship awards program took place May 11 at Mineral Wells High School.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells welcomed Better Business Bureau Regional Director Bob Brackeen who spoke on scams that target individuals and businesses, and how best to avoid them and becoming a victim.
Brackeen said there are constant threats online and by phone that come in many forms, some of them disguised well. Even despite warnings and alerts, a scam can often make its way through and past a person and a do a little – or sometimes a lot – of damage financially to an individual or business.
“Pennies for Polio” is a program created to educate and involve local schools in the work that Rotary International and its Polio Eradication partners have undertaken to eradicate polio worldwide.
The Mineral Wells community can play a primary role in helping the Interact Club eradicate polio by donating any spare change during the month of May to help immunize children half way around the world. Each vaccine costs just 60 cents.
It has been two decades or more since Palo Pinto General Hospital had a spine and neurological surgeon, but one could say that specialty is "back" in Mineral Wells.
Dr. Steven Zielinski, or Dr. Z, of Waco-based Texas Spine and Neurosurgery, brought his practice to PPGH and the area several weeks ago and is now seeing patients regarding disorders and injuries involving the spine, peripheral nerves, carpal tunnel and other associated ailments.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells is partnering with local churches and organizations through its community flag subscription program. Groups that need to raise monies are being offered $1,000 a year to service one of Rotary Club's six flag routes.
To date, Indian Creek Baptist Church, First United Methodist Church, New River Fellowship Church, MWHS Rotary Interact and MWHS Class of 2019 have each agreed to take one flag route. The churches will use monies they raise to help fund youth mission trips.
Downtown business owner Regan Wallace Johnson, center, spoke to Rotary Club of Mineral Wells on Wednesday, telling how she came to own property and businesses in the heart of the city's business center.
Jim Swartz, president and CEO of Grand Prairie-based CareFlite, gave Rotary Club of Mineral Wells an overview Wednesday of the company's air and ground medical transport operations, its training and maintenance operations and the 911 services it provides for counties and communities in the North Texas area.
Maternal & Child Health Month April 26 – John Dugan
Youth Service Month May 3 – Nancy Cameron - Regan Johnson May 10 – Harris Brooks - Introducing new spine surgeon May 17 - David May - Better Business Bureau May 24 - Nancy Cameron - Kim Olson May 31 - Open
Carol Holmes' goal is to help people relax, de-stress and improve their overall health and well-being through yoga. Her mantra is, "Pause ... Breathe ... Pray."
A registered yoga instructor and owner of Circle Y Yoga Ranch in northwest Parker County, Holmes was the guest speaker at Wednesday's noon meeting of the Rotary Club of Mineral Wells at Holiday Hills Country Club. She is pictured with club President Jimmy Walker, left, and program chair for the week Tonya Gary, right.
One local water guy brought another to Wednesday's Rotary Club of Mineral Wells meeting.
At the invite of Rotarian and Famous Water Company co-owner Scott Elder, pictured far right, Brazos Valley Spring Water Company's managing partner Bryan Horton, center, gave today's lunch program, updating club members on the progress of the company's new water bottling site at the former Brazos Factory Outlet Stores property on U.S. Highway 180 East.
Mineral Wells High School drama and theater teacher Seth Williams, center, was today's guest speaker for the weekly meeting of Rotary Club of Mineral Wells. He talked about the high school thespians and their projects, productions and UIL competitions.
Mineral Wells certified public accountant and author Ken Engle, right, visited Rotary Club of Mineral Wells on Wednesday to talk about the current tax season, especially as it relates to business and corporate tax filing and planning. Engle offices inside Brazos Mall. He is pictured with club President Jimmy Walker. Rotary Club meets every Wednesday at noon at Holiday Hills Country Club for socializing, updates on club projects and a program of interest.
Mineral Wells Rotarians attending Wednesday's weekly luncheon heard about water on two fronts – Famous Water Company's new bottling and product advances and the city's plans to improve water service and reliability.
Famous Water Company co-owner and Rotarian Scott Elder updated the club on the company's new in-house bottling operations. The bottling plant is inside the former home of Crazy Water in the building many know today as the Texas Box Factory, two blocks north of the Famous Water Pavilion.
The Longhorn Council of the Boy Scouts of America is continuing its efforts to form a new boy scout troop and a cub scout pack in Mineral Wells.
Council Membership District Executive Ryan Hecker, pictured second from left, and David Rico, representing the Council's Brazos Valley District within the West Service area, spoke to Rotary Club of Mineral Wells on Wednesday.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells' newest member, attorney Phil Garrett, pictured center, provided a local history show-and-tell for the club at its weekly Wednesday luncheon at Holiday Hills Country Club. Garrett brought along some historic artifacts from the museum managed and maintained by the Historic Mineral Wells non-profit organization of which Garrett is a member, along with fellow Rotarians Eddie McClendon and Keri Dobbs.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells donates books, signed each week by the program speaker and placed in one of the Mineral Wells ISD school libraries. Today, Travis Elementary School Librarian Cathy Hammond, far right, and Lamar Elementary School Librarian Audrey Almeida, second from right, visited Rotary for its noon lunch and collected the books recently signed and donated. Also pictured are Rotarian and Mineral Wells ISD Superintendent John Kuhn, far left, and Rotary Club Community Service Chair Connie Ball.
Six times a year, hundreds of home and businesses throughout Mineral Wells proudly fly a large U.S. flag, thanks to the local Rotary Club’s flag subscription program.
The club installs and removes flags for those who have subscribed to the service. Not only are participants able to patriotically see and share the sight of Old Glory on their properties, but those proceeds are then used for Rotary’s local scholarships and community service programs.
Cameron Garza, a supervisor for the Palo Pinto County office of Child Protection Services, along with supervisor in training Angel Newman, presented Mineral Wells Rotarians with information about the local office and how CPS works to protect neglected and abused children.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells met Wednesday at noon for its weekly luncheon at Holiday Hills Country Club.
Meridian Brick plant manager Chris Egge, center, on Wednesday gave Mineral Wells Rotarians an interesting program on brick manufacturing and the local plant, which has been in operation on N.E. 14th Avenue since the early 1900s.
Using raw material quarried on site, Egge said the plant is assured of another 84 years of operation at its current manufacturing output before running out.
Palo Pinto General Hospital's Director of Nursing James Fesser, right, told Rotary Club of Mineral Wells on Wednesday of a new service soon to be offered by PPGH – swing beds.
The hospital has refurbished six rooms on its third floor west wing to provide post-acute care services for patients who typically need care following surgery, such as physical therapy or other treatment, but would have to go to another facility – sometimes in Fort Worth, that can create a hardship for a patient's spouse or family members.
Laura Rutledge picked the right week to speak to Rotary Club of Mineral Wells.
Rutledge, second from right, was the guest speaker for Rotary Club's Dec. 7 meeting at Holiday Hills Country Club. She is the executive director and president of Fort Worth-based The Rutledge Foundation, which strives to bring awareness to the more than 1 million young adults with cancer. The foundation is committed to finding curative treatments for sarcomas, one of the most aggressive cancers in teens and young adults.
Palo Pinto General Hospital's Chief Information Officer Shane Coleman, pictured left, told his fellow Mineral Wells Rotarians about the hospital's $2 million patient and physician records systems upgrade, which they hope to have online in October 2017.
Coleman spoke during Wednesday's weekly Rotary luncheon at Holiday Hills Country Club. He is pictured with club President Jimmy Walker.
PPGH is implementing the Meditech 6.1 hospital records management system. About 400 hospitals nationwide are using, or going to, the Meditech 6.1 online records platform. Coleman said PPGH will be about the 194th hospital to go online with the system.
One of Rotary Club of Mineral Wells' community service projects is providing story readers during the school year at Lamar and Houston elementary schools. Above, club Vice President David Cairone poses with a class from Houston after reading to them on Thursday.
Mineral Wells Area Chamber of Commerce Director of Sales and Marketing Rachel Lively spoke to Rotary Club of Mineral Wells on Wednesday about Friday's graduation of Leadership Mineral Wells Class of 22, taking place at Holiday Hills Country Club. Lively also spoke about the class' project, called Walk The Wells.
This week's Rotary Club of Mineral Wells speakers were Steve Butcher, center, of the Area Growth Council, and Richard Ball, right, president of the Mineral Wells Industrial Foundation. They told Rotarians attending Wednesday's weekly luncheon about the two entities and how they work together to recruit businesses to Mineral Wells and the area.
Butcher talked about several of the most recent recruitment successes, Precision Ammunition, which is working on renovating the former Peco building on Garrett Morris Parkway to begin production of rifle ammo early in 2017. Another one that expects to soon open is a document restoration company, SPI, which is occupying the former officer's club at Wolters Industrial Park.
Mineral Wells Senior Center Director Linda Gilley, center, normally spends the weekday lunch hour helping feed seniors at the center, or preparing and delivering lunches to offices and workplaces around town and the county courthouse.
But this week, she spent the Wednesday lunch hour as guest speaker for Rotary Club of Mineral Wells.
Brian Poulin, center, owner of My Scuba Shop, in Weatherford, was guest speaker at Wednesday's weekly Rotary Club of Mineral Wells luncheon. Invited by program chair David Cairone, right, Poulin spoke about the joys and thrills of scuba diving, whether in local lakes or exotic locations like the Cayman Islands – but away from the tourist areas where the diving is better and more enjoyable, at least for him, he said.
Rotary program chair for the week Police Chief Dean Sullivan, pictured left, brought some of his firefighting and EMS friends from down the hall at City Hall to speak to Rotary Club of Mineral Wells during this week's luncheon.
Mineral Wells Rotarian and District 5790 Lt. Gov. Dan Steele, right, spoke to the Mineral Wells club Wednesday about his recent trip to Costa Rica to help provide wheelchairs.
The wheelchair program is one of the many community service endeavors of Rotary International to help people in underserved areas of the world. Many are homebound until they receive a new wheelchair from Rotary.
Cortney Trammell and her nearly 2-year-old son, McCrae, were guests of Rotary Club of Mineral Wells during the club's weekly meeting on Wednesday.
McCrae was 10 days old when he was diagnosed with neuroblastoma cancer after doctors found a large tumor wrapped around his spine. Having undergone surgeries and treatments, McCrae is now closing in on being two years cancer free, which Cortney said will be a medical milestone if that happens. Doctors told the family neuroblastoma typically reappears within two years.
Palo Pinto County Victim Advocacy Coordinator Adina Morris, center, was this week's luncheon speaker, informing the club of her role and responsibilities to aid, inform and comfort victims and family members of crime, especially crimes of violence such as murder, sexual assault and aggravated assault. The State of Texas mandates every district attorney's office have a victim advocacy coordinator and lays out their responsibilities and duties. Many, like Adina, go above and beyond in working with victims and family members throughout the investigative and prosecutorial process.
Mineral Wells Rotarians Nancy Cameron and Charles Thompson were honored Wednesday for achieving new levels of giving as members of the Paul Harris Society, Rotary Club International's charitable fundraising arm.
Cameron also serves as Rotary Club of Mineral foundation chair.
A Rotarian becomes a Paul Harris Fellow with their first $1,000 in giving to the foundation, and then for every additional $1,000 in donations.
Cameron, second from left, and Thompson, center, are pictured with, from left, Mineral Wells Rotarian and District 5790 Lt. Gov. Dan Steele, District 5790 Gov. Mary Ann McDuff, Mineral Wells Rotarian and Area 5 Asst. Gov. Connie Ball and Mineral Wells Rotary Club President Jimmy Walker.
Rotary Club meets every Wednesday at noon at Holiday Hills Country Club for lunch, fellowship updates on club projects and a program. Come join us.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells Past-President Mary Braddock was presented the Rotary Builder honor during Wednesday's weekly luncheon.
Visiting Rotary District 5790 Gov.Mary Ann McDuff presented Braddock with the award for her work in helping bring the annual Crazy Kicker 100 fall cycling tour into Rotary Club, taking it over from the local Kiwanis Club. The ride brings nearly 300 cyclists to Palo Pinto County the second week of October for a ride through scenic Palo Pinto County along one of five routes of the rider's choosing. Last year was the first year for Rotary Club of Mineral Wells to sponsor and organize the ride.
Braddock, center, is pictured with, from left, Mineral Wells Rotarian and District 5790 Lt. Gov. Dan Steele, District 5790 Gov. Mary Ann McDuff, Mineral Wells Rotarian and Area 5 Asst. Gov. Connie Ball and Mineral Wells Rotary Club President Jimmy Walker.
Rotary Club meets every Wednesday at noon at Holiday Hills Country Club for lunch, updates on club projects and a program. Come join us.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells on Wednesday welcomed as a new member John Kuhn.
Actually, it is a welcome back. John was a member of Rotary several years ago when he was principal of Mineral Wells High School, before leaving to take the superintendent's position at Perrin-Whitt CISD.
Kuhn this summer returned to Mineral Wells ISD as the new superintendent, and now he is back with Rotary. Kuhn said he was excited when he received his invitation to join, saying Rotary is a club he enjoys being part of with its service to the community, and the fellowship and networking with other Rotarians.
Kuhn, center, is pictured with, from left, Mineral Wells Rotarian and District 5790 Lt. Gov. Dan Steele, District 5790 Gov. Mary Ann McDuff, Mineral Wells Rotarian and Area 5 Asst. Gov. Connie Ball and Mineral Wells Rotary Club President Jimmy Walker.
Rotary Club meets every Wednesday at noon at Holiday Hills Country Club for lunch, updates on club projects and a program. Come join us.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells on Wednesday will welcome to town new District 5790 Governor Mary Ann McDuff.
McDuff will meet with the executive board, then be the club's guest and speaker for its weekly noon meeting Wednesday at Holiday Hills Country Club.
She became Rotary District 5790 governor on July 1. The district is composed of sixty-nine vibrant clubs across the Texas North Central Plains area, and is growing by leaps and bounds. McDuff is one of 500 new district governors serving throughout the world. We look forward to another year of continued growth in Rotary membership and expanded Rotary programs under her leadership.
Officially still the Republican candidate for sheriff of Palo Pinto County, Brett McGuire has no Democratic or independent challenger, so after the November general election and come Jan. 1, he will be the county's next sheriff.
McGuire spoke to Rotary Club today, Wednesday, Aug. 17, about how he plans to initially approach the position when he takes over. He said he will make some changes initially, but does not plan any major changes until he has had an opportunity to become fully acquainted with the department's personnel and operations.
McGuire has an extensive law enforcement and government management background, including serving two stints as the police chief for Lake Worth and, more recently, as its city manager.
McGuire, center, is pictured with the day's program chair Janette Green, left, and club president Jimmy Walker.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells meets every Wednesday at noon at Holiday Hills Country Club for lunch, fellowship, updates on projects and a program of interest. Come join us.
Cowboy poet and storyteller Gene Long visited Rotary Club of Mineral Wells on Wednesday, sharing several of his poems (see video below) and stories during the weekly meeting. He was accompanied by his wife, Rhonda. Also pictured are this week's program chair Saskia Vaughan, left, and club president Jimmy Walker, right. Rotary Club meets every Wednesday at noon at Holiday Hills Country Club for fellowship, lunch, updates on club projects and a program of interest. Come join us.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells Foundation Chair Nancy Cameron recently returned from a trip to the Great Northwest, visiting Idaho. While there, she visited the Ketchum-Sun Valley, Idaho, Rotary Club, exchanging club banners with them. She is pictured with their banner, which she added to the local collection show in the background. Rotary Club has banners available for members who plan to visit other clubs and would like to do an exchange. See Jimmy or Connie for a banner.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells on Wednesday received a program from Jim Sutton, of New Horizons, an Abilene-based company dedicated to finding adoption and foster care homes, families and care givers for children. Accompanying Jim was Frances Wampler.
New Horizons operates two residential treatment centers, a STAR (Services to At Risk) Program and foster care and adoption services in Abilene, San Angelo, Brownwood, Wichita Falls and Fort Worth.
Mineral Wells Rotarian Steve Uslan, left, gave the program Wednesday, discussing his career and experiences as a Federal Aviation Administration safety counselor and inspector. Much of it he did while living in Hawaii. Steve talked about causes and factors in small and large airplane crashes, which are often related to pilot error, mechanical failure or weather. Uslan is a pilot, having logged 9,100 hours in a cockpit. He also served as a pilot in the Vietnam War. Pictured with Uslan is Rotary Club of Mineral Wells President Jimmy Walker. The club meets every Wednesday at noon at Holiday Hills Country Club for lunch, fellowship, updates on club projects and a program of interest. If you would like to become a Rotarian, contact a member or come visit us.
New Mineral Wells ISD Superintendent John Kuhn, center, spoke at the Mineral Wells Rotary Club meeting on July 20, 2016. He told Rotarians about his decision to return to Mineral Wells ISD from his position as superintendent of Perrin-Whitt CISD and how, even though he is a Perrin native and graduate, he and his family consider Mineral Wells their home and he hopes to be with the district for many years.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells president Jimmy Walker presents Boyce Ditto Public Library Youth Librarian Chasity Trejo with a check for $300 that will purchase four bicycles for the library's summer youth reading program. Winners of bikes will be selected based on how much they read during the summer. Rotary Club is a strong advocate of literacy through its school reading and book donations programs.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells member Dan Steele is set to take on the position of lieutenant governor for Rotary District 5790, serving the district's west region. Dan will help oversee activities for 36 Rotary clubs west of Tarrant County, in a district that stretches north to Wichita Falls and Vernon, west to Abilene and Hamlin and south to Coleman. In all, District 5790 has 70 Rotary organizations. Dan has been serving as the Mineral Wells club's treasurer.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells meets every Wednesday at noon at Holiday Hills Country Club. This week, the club heard about the club and its plans moving forward.
"We are thinking outside the box," country club board chairman Keith Ragle told members.
He said the country club has not only rebounded from recent fiscal issues and matters pertaining to a criminal case involving past employees, Ragle said the club is now putting money into an escrow fund it will use to make ongoing improvements and keep the eastside golf course, club and facilities, including the pond, tennis courts and swimming pool, in good shape.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells today presented a $1,000 check to Cindy Maness, executive director of Mineral Wells Center of Life, and Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper and spokesman Ricky Hunter in support of the Child Car Safety Seat Program.
DPS on June 11 staged a child safety seat program at COL that Hunter deemed "a big success." He said 22 child safety seats were checked during the event, and only one child arrived at the event properly secured. Seven seats were provided to parents who did not have a seat or had a seat that needed to be replaced for some reason.
Mineral Wells Mayor Mike Allen was guest speaker at Rotary Club's weekly meeting June 8 at Holiday Hills Country Club. He spoke about Envision Mineral Wells, which has seen more than 100 community leaders and members come together to formulate plans and visions in several areas such as infrastructure, downtown, economy and more. Allen, center, is pictured with program chair for the week Wayne Sanderson, left, and club president Mary Braddock. Rotary meets every Wednesday at noon at HHCC for lunch, fellowship, updates on club projects and activities and a program. Come join us.
Owners of the new downtown walk-in health clinic, Accountable Care Now, Chris and Donita Irwin, were guest speakers at today's weekly Rotary Club of Mineral Wells meeting. Chris spoke on the topic of prostate health in men. He said like all cancers, it is important to diagnose early, then receive information through your healthcare provider and specialists to determine your best course of action. Family history also plays an important role on when to begin screening for prostate cancer. The clinic is open and currently accepting insurance from four carriers, including Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Chris and Donita, center, are pictured with club president Mary Braddock, left, and program chair Connie Ball. Rotary meets every Wednesday at noon at Holiday Hills Country Club.
Mineral Wells Rotarian Saskia Vaughan represented the club Thursday, May 26, with the presentation of four college scholarships totaling $5,000 to four Mineral Wells High School Class of 2016 seniors.
Pictured with Vaughan and their Rotary scholarship awards are, from left, Tyler Cumbus ($1,000); Alec Ortiz ($1,000); Natalie Ragland ($1,500); and Kenzie Huseman ($1,500).
Congratulations to these four Rotary scholarship recipients and all of the seniors who received local and college grants Thursday, and to all of the graduating members of the MWHS Class of 2016.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells today celebrated its donations of hundreds of books to Mineral Wells ISD through its ongoing literacy campaign.
Each week, the club has the program speaker sign a book that is donated to a school library. The club also reads once a week to children at Travis and Houston elementaries.
On hand Wednesday to accept a large of donation of schools books was MWISD Librarian Melissa Morgan, who expressed her thanks to the club for its book donations and contributions to promoting literacy.
Pictured with Morgan, center, are club president Mary Braddock, left, and Rotarian Connie Ball, who heads up the club's literacy efforts.
Local historian and County Attorney Phil Garrett brought the program to today's Rotary Club of Mineral Wells' weekly meeting at Holiday Hills Country Club.
He told several stories of the city's history, including several about 1920s silent movie starlet Corinne Griffith, who grew up on North Oak Avenue and later married George Preston Marshall, the controversial owner of the Washington Redskins football franchise.
Garrett also promoted for sale a book published by Historic Mineral Wells titled, "A History of Mineral Wells 1878-1953," generated from the master's thesis research by Winnie Beatrice McAnelly Fiedler. The books are for sale for $45 each at Garrett's private law office in the Brazos Shopping Center and at Bennett's Office Supply downtown.
Pictured with Garrett, center, are club president Mary Braddock and today's program chair and club president-elect Jimmy Walker.
DENTON – An installation ceremony for Mary Ann McDuff as governor for Rotary International District 5790 is scheduled for June 4 at the Denton Country Club.
As governor, McDuff will coordinate projects of the 70 clubs in District 5790, including Rotary Club of Mineral Wells. She will assume office July 1 and will serve through June 2017.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells hosted its 11 Mineral Wells High School Interact students for lunch during today's meeting at Holiday Hills Country Club. Especially honored were the three senior members of Interact, from left, Katlyn Rivera, Kenzie Huseman and Natalie Ragland. Each received a sash and stylus pen. Good luck ladies in your future studies and endeavors and thank for you being involved and active young Rotarians. High school students who would like to join Interact can contact Rotarian Karyn Bullock at the MWISD Administration Building.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells recognized its 11 Interact students from Mineral Wells High School during today's meeting at Holiday Hills Country Club. MWHS students wanting to get involved with Rotary Interact can contact Rotarian Karyn Bullock at the MWISD administration office. Bullock is pictured with the students, along with club president Mary Braddock.
Sharon Owens, center, of Mineral Wells Women's Club, spoke to Rotary Club of Mineral Wells today about this Saturday's art show and sale at the club's downtown building, the historic post office. There will be featured artistic mediums including photography, painting and ceramics, cowboy poetry and food, along with a bake sale. The event takes place 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Owens said the club hopes to grow it into a larger, juried art show taking place in the building and the street outside the Women's Club building. Owens is pictured with club president Mary Braddock, left, and today's program chair Beth Watson. For more about Saturday's art show and sale, read the Mineral Wells Index article here.
During the District Assembly last week, all area Rotary clubs were asked to participate in a region wide food drive. The collected food was divided between the participating clubs. As a result of the food drive, Rotary Club of Mineral Wells donated 273 pounds of food (enough for 100 meals) to The Mineral Wells Center of Life. COL Executive Director Cindy Maness accepts the donation from Mineral Wells Rotarian Dan Steele.
Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper and area DPS spokesman Ricky Hunter spoke to Rotary Club of Mineral Wells today about the laws, importance and best practices for infant, toddler and children car seats.
He noted that four out of five child seats in vehicles are improperly installed.
He also talked about an upcoming free car seat check with certified technicians on June 11, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Mineral Wells Center of Life, 200 S.W. 5th Street. For more information, contact Hunter at 940-325-6903, ext. 4, or the Center of Life at 940-327-8700.
For information and tips and proper child safety seat use, go here.
Mineral Wells Rotary meets every Wednesday at noon at Holiday Hills Country Club.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells is participating in Rotary's District 5790 Food Drive.
Members are asked to bring non-perishable food items to this week's meeting. Dan Steele will deliver our club's donations to the district meeting this coming weekend in Arlington.
Rotaractors and Interactors will be leading the way to collect food for the district with the help from Rotarians. Complete meal packages will be assembled and clubs will distribute the packages all around District 5790.
Items needed include canned meat, canned vegetables, canned fruit, starch items, breakfast bars, snack bars, peanut butter, crackers and boxed juices. Other items needed are boxes and large paper bags.
For more information, contact Dan Steele or Mary Braddock, or Dan Morales at workoutdan@aol.com or 817-994-7575.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells meets every Wednesday at noon at Holiday Hills Country Club for lunch, fellowship, updates on club projects and a program. Come join us.
Mineral Wells Rotarian David Cairone is pictured with Miss Riker's pre-kindergarten class at Lamar Elementary School, where he read the book, "The Rainbow Fish," to the class on Thursday morning. As part of Rotary Club of Mineral Wells' literacy program, Rotarians take turns reading to local elementary school classes every Thursday during the school year. Good looking group!
Meals on Wheels of Palo Pinto County drove into the Rotary Club of Mineral Wells' meeting on Wednesday, May 4, to deliver the week's program.
Meals on Wheels of Palo Pinto County is a nonprofit organization that provides nutritious meals for homebound seniors and disabled individuals in Mineral Wells and other communities throughout the county. Meals on Wheels helps combat the hunger and isolation experienced by so many seniors and others who are unable to prepare meals for themselves. Home-delivered meals allows individuals who need assistance to remain independent in their own homes, where they want to be, for as long as possible.
Local Rotarians deliver a route every Friday.
The agency's Second Annual Casino Night fundraiser is Friday, May 13, at Holiday Hills Country Club beginning at 6:30 p.m. Admission to the event is $25 in advance and $30 at the door, and includes hors d’oeuvres, $5 in chips, and a chance to win a great door prize. For tickets, call 940-325-7919 or email susanbaer@mowppc.org. You can also visit their Facebook page here.
Pictured, from left, are Rotary Club Vice President-elect David Cairone, Meals on Wheels of Palo Pinto County Executive Director Susan Baer and Assistant Director Bill Smith.
Rotary Club meets every Wednesday at noon at HHCC for lunch, fellowship, updates on club projects and a program. Come join us!
The 13th Annual Crazy Kicker Ride is Oct. 15, 2016. We are making plans for it and expect a bigger and better event than last year's ride. Stay tuned. Visit the ride's official Facebook page here.
13th Annual Mineral Wells Crazy Kicker 100 Bike Ride
The 2016 Council on Legislation may well be remembered as one of the most progressive in Rotary history.
Not only did this Council grant clubs more freedom in determining their meeting schedule and membership, it also approved an increase in per capita dues of $4 a year for three years. The increase will be used to enhance Rotary’s website, improve online tools, and add programs and services to help clubs increase membership.
The Council is an essential element of Rotary’s governance. Every three years, members from around the world gather in Chicago to consider proposed changes to the policies that govern the organization and its member clubs. Measures that are adopted take effect 1 July.
Rotarians enjoy doing good works for the community, and they enjoy getting together in fellowship and fun.
A Rotary Club of Mineral Wells social was Saturday, April 30, 2016, at Hog Mountain Retreat, featuring a lot of great food, including 100 pounds of crawfish prepared by Harris Brooks, Brad Wilkerson, Shane Coleman and others. There was also sausage, chicken, ham, potatoes, corn and an array of great desserts as part of a contest that raised monies we will donate to Back Pack Buddies.
In the video below, Mineral Wells Rotarian David Cairone shows how to properly eat a mudbug:
Then at the end of the night, with some crawfish leftover, members got busy to shell what was remaining.
It was a fun evening. Thanks to the Rotarians and non-Rotarians, including Connie and Richard Ball, who helped and attended, and thanks to Hog Mountain Retreat for hosting us.
Rotarian John Dugan provided today's Rotary Club of Mineral Wells program, talking about Palo Pinto Nursing Center and the different skills, services and programs it offers. John is the administrator for PPNC, and has been a nursing facilities administrator for nearly half a century. John also talked about different ways to pay for nursing home stays and how different program work. Rotary meets every Wednesday at Holiday Hills Country Club for lunch, fellowship, updates on club activities and programs and a weekly informational topic. Come join us!
Rotarian David Cairone shown with the Lamar Elementary class he recently read to. Literacy is a local Rotary Club project and Rotarians read to and with students each week at local elementary schools.
Mineral Wells Rotarian Tonya Gary provided the program at the April 20 Rotary Club of Mineral Wells weekly luncheon at Holiday Hills Country Club. The topic was the Mineral Wells Moccasins competitive swim team for children, youth and adults. The team competes with other area teams during the summer, hosting one local meet at the West City Park pool. Tonya brought with her new swim coach Blake Benavides, a freshman at Tarleton State University and a Mineral Wells High School grad and former swim team member. Sign ups are underway for this year's team. In the group photo, Tonya and Blake are pictured with club president Mary Braddock.
Mineral Wells State Park & Trailway Park Interpreter David Owens, second from left, and new park Superintendent Jeff Titus, presented the program at Rotary Club's April 13 luncheon at the invite of James Fesser, left.
Owens told about the state park's many features, recreational opportunities and programs, while also giving a dyslexic telling of the tale "Cinderella."
Also pictured is club president Mary Braddock.
Rotary meets every Wednesday at noon at Holiday Hills Country Club for lunch, club updates and a program. Come join us!
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells is a proud backer of Back Pack Buddies, the local non-profit organization that provides food on Fridays to students to eat over a weekend so that they have enough – or in extreme cases something – to eat before returning to school on Monday.
The students are identified by teachers and counselors, and the food bags are discretely placed in their lockers or personal belongings, delivered to the schools by local police/fire/EMS personnel. More than 300 students are being served weekly.
Pictured is Rotary Club president Mary Braddock, right, presenting a check to Back Pack Buddies organizer and lead volunteer Judy Jackson.
To learn more about Back Pack Buddies and how to help and get involved, visit their Facebook page here.
2016 Mineral Wells Rotary Club Four-Way Speech Contest winner Michael Riggins, a junior at Mineral Wells High School, gave his winning oratory to the club at today's meeting. Riggins received a $1,000 local scholarship and advanced to compete at the regional level with the chance to advance to the state and national contests and opportunities to win more scholarship monies. A packed house enjoyed Michael's presentation.
2016 Mineral Wells Rotary Club Four-Way Speech Contest winner Michael Riggins, center, a junior at Mineral Wells High School, gave his winning oratory to the club at today's meeting. Riggins received a $1,000 local scholarship and advanced to compete at the regional level with the chance to advance to the state and national contests and opportunities to win more scholarship monies. A packed house enjoyed Michael's presentation. Also pictured are, from left, MWHS's Carl Turner, MWISD Communications Director and Rotarian Karyn Bullock, Rotary Club president Karyn Bullock and MWHS Communication Applications teacher Patsy Myers.
As part of its literacy program, Rotary Club of Mineral Wells each week has its guest speaker sign a book that is then donated to a local school library. Rotary had a lot of guests this week, in the form of Mineral Wells High School junior Michael Riggins, who won the club's 2016 Four-Way Speech Contest, and members of Travis Elementary School's Gateway Club. All signed books that will be donated to the high school and Travis school libraries. Pictured with the books donated this week are Rotary's literacy chair Connie Ball, Travis Elementary Librarian Cathy Hammond and club president Mary Braddock. Rotary Club meets every Wednesday at noon at Holiday Hills Country Club for lunch, fellowship, project updates and a program. Come join us.
Travis Elementary School's after-school group the Gateway Club visited Mineral Wells Rotary Club on Wednesday, April 6, with each taking turns to tell about their club and their projects.
Travis Elementary School's after-school group the Gateway Club visited Mineral Wells Rotary Club on Wednesday, April 6, each taking turns to tell about their club and their projects. Also pictured are Rotarian and Mineral Wells ISD Communications Director Karyn Bullock, Travis Principal Natalie Griffin and club sponsor, Gayla Quinn and Cathy Hammond.
Mary Kay director and community organizer and fundraiser extraordinaire Tonya Gary officially became a member of Rotary Club of Mineral Wells on Wednesday.
Tonya has already been involved with Rotary, helping out with last month's Greatest Meal event and she has already offered to organize next year's third annual event, which raises monies double-matched by the Gates Foundation to help end polio worldwide.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells welcomes Tonya Gary, right, pictured with club president Mary Braddock.
The club meets every Wednesday at noon at Holiday Hills Country Club for lunch, fellowship, discussions of upcoming projects and a program of local interest. Please join us and consider becoming a member of our excellent service organization.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells on Wednesday heard a program by Hank Gayler, president of the 50-Year-Club, on the club's efforts to preserve, renovate – and restore where possible – the historic Lillian Peek Home Economics Cottage and rock amphitheater on N.W. 5th Avenue behind the old Mineral Wells High School.
The club has so far spent about $80,000 on the project and needs about another $70,00 to complete its work.
The club is made up of Mineral Wells High School graduates who can join the club at the time of their class's 50th reunion. The 50-Year Club hosts an annual reunion.
The Lillian Peek Home Economics Cottage was the first free-standing school in Texas dedicated to home economics classes. Built in 1933, it taught students to cok, sew and other lessons related to maintaining and running a household.
Persons interested in helping the club with its renovation project can contact Gayler or the club at 215 N.W. 5th Ave., Mineral Wells, TX 76067. The phone number is 940-325-5600.
Gayler, left, is pictured with Mineral Wells Rotary Club president Mary Braddock. Rotary of MW meets every Wednesday at noon at Holiday Hills Country Club for lunch, fellowship, discussions of upcoming projects and a program of local interest. Come join us.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells President Mary Braddock, left, is pictured with Pastor Gary Word, Gwen Jones and Peggy Gibson, representing Mineral Wells Center of Life.
The three COL board members spoke to Rotary during its March 9, 2016, meeting about COL, its mission, the agencies operating under its umbrella and the many services and people being served to assist them with food, utilities, job placement, substance and alcohol abuse, education and essential life skills classes.
They also spoke about COL's building, the former Keg1 O'Neal Distributor building on South Oak Avenue, they are striving to pay off. They are seeking 400 businesses, organizations
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells meets at noon every Wednesday at Holiday Hills Country Club for lunch, fellowship, discussion of Rotary service projects and a program of local interest and importance.
Kirk Horton, center, of Texas Frontier Trails, spoke Wednesday, March 2, to the Rotary Club of Mineral Wells about TFT's new historic trails project at Pollard Park. The park is located north of the stockyards on North Oak Avenue, between N.W. 25th Street and N.W. 33rd Street. TFT is developing trails through the park that will feature signs, some interactive, telling of the colorful history of Palo Pinto County and Mineral Wells. Sponsorships are still available, and a ribbon cutting is set for April 16. Also pictured are Rotarian Shane Coleman, left, program chair for the day, and the club's president-elect Jimmy Walker, who presided in the absence of president Mary Bradock.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells members and officials Dan Steele, Jimmy Walker and Connie Ball represented the club at the Lone Star PETS event that took place Thursday through Saturday at the DFW Hyatt. Steel will be serving as District 5790 lieutenant governor. Walker is the Mineral Wells club's president-elect and Ball is a District 5790 assistant governor. Lone Star PETS is the premier training event that prepares Rotary Club president-elects for their year of service as president of their club in Texas and Southern Oklahoma. Steele leaves Thursday for Costa Rica to take part in Rotary International's Wheelchair Project.
Rotarian Scott Elder and his wife, Carol, who both own and operate Famous Water Mineral Company, spoke to Mineral Wells Rotary Club last Wednesday, Feb. 10, about their plans to begin bottling locally Crazy Water and the changes they are making to the product lines including adding carbonation and flavors, and using glass bottles, all things customers have been requesting.
Growing in popularity, Crazy Water is distributed statewide and several states. They are pictured with club president-elect Jimmy Walker, who presided over the meeting.
Rotary Club meets every Wednesday at noon at Holiday Hills Country Club for fellowship, updates on club activities and service projects and a program. Come join us.
Troy Huseman, center, of Tru-Test in Mineral Wells, spoke to Rotary Club Wednesday, Feb. 3, about the company, its livestock management product lines and a look at future growth and expansion.
Palo Pinto County Meals on Wheels Assistant Director Bill Smith, left, and Megan Thompson, center, of Mineral Wells Chevrolet-Buick-GMC, were welcomed Wednesday, Feb. 3, as the newest members of Rotary Club of Mineral Wells.
Rotarian and Palo Pinto General Hospital CEO Harris Brooks brought as guest speakers for this week's meeting the community's two newest OB/GYNs, Dr. Heather Walsh and Dr. Mark Reimer.
The Mineral Wells Rotary Club is hosting Mineral Wells' Greatest Meal, a come-and-go luncheon benefiting our End Polio Now program.
End Polio Now provides life-saving vaccinations in the few countries where polio has not been eradicated. Until this project is finished, the disease is just a plane ride away.
You may come any time to Link Field Services 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 24 (remember it's come-and-go). The suggested donation for the lunch is $10 minimum. One of the most exciting things about our lunch is that every donation will be double matched by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. So $10 becomes $30.
A Middle Eastern dish, with an American flair, will be served.
Please message us to RSVP or contact Beth Henary Watson via Facebook. Thanks your support and see you Feb. 24th to share in The Greatest Meal.
The first four Rotarians: (left to right) Gustavus Loehr, Silvester Schiele, Hiram Shorey, and Paul Harris. Rotary Images
During the first Rotary club meeting on 23 February 1905 in Chicago, Paul Harris, Gustavus Loehr, Hiram Shorey, and Silvester Schiele met to talk about their personal experiences. Harris then unfolded his general plan for their club meetings.
Rotarians are generous people. They give to many good, charitable causes in their communities but in many instances do not support their own charity: The Rotary Foundation.
This Rotary year, I would like to see every Rotary club make a contribution to our Rotary Foundation.
Remember that the good we do in the world is limited only by the contributions we receive. And when we give to our Foundation, we are not sending cash to Evanston – we are helping a blind man to see, a polio victim to walk, a child to grow to adulthood healthily, a student to become better educated, and a family to have food to eat.
Each year, the trustees of The Rotary Foundation set a goal for the Annual Fund – the fund that feeds the World Fund. This year, the goal is US$123 million, with each Rotarian being asked to contribute a minimum of $100. I am conscious that this figure would mean more in some countries than others. But Rotarians should give according to their means.
The slogan Every Rotarian, Every Year means exactly that. Every Rotarian should make a contribution to our Foundation every year. Make it a priority this year to impress on your club the importance of every club supporting our Foundation in some way.
As I said at the outset, Rotarians are generous people. I am sure you will translate that generosity into giving to our Rotary Foundation.
It is an honor and a privilege to serve this Rotary year as chair of our Rotary Foundation. And we should be proud to call it our Foundation, for each day millions of people are touched by the magic of Rotary – made possible only by the service and dedication of Rotarians throughout the world.
Our Foundation is the engine that drives the Rotary machine. It gives us the chance to see and fulfill the opportunities for service both within our community and internationally.
Your Foundation Trustees have set five goals for the year.
The first goal is the eradication of the poliovirus from the face of the earth. We have much to be proud of in our efforts to rid the world of this dreaded disease, but we must finish the job. We cannot let up in our efforts. We cannot undo all the good work that has been done in the past.
Our second goal is to continue to support Rotary's own charity, The Rotary Foundation, through our contributions. The good that we do is limited only by what we receive. Let us ensure that clubs who have made no contributions to our Foundation do so this year.
Our third goal is to ensure the progress of our new grants program by participating in sustainable educational and humanitarian projects.
Our fourth goal is to foster goodwill and peace by promoting and publicizing the Rotary Peace Centers program, whose purpose is to create a cadre of individuals dedicated to peace and conflict resolution.
Our fifth goal is to emphasise that the responsibility for the future of our Foundation is in all our hands so that we can continue doing good in the world as we endeavor to Light Up Rotary.
I look forward to your support.
John Kenny
Foundation Trustee Chair
I have just returned from a very worthwhile wheelchair project in San Juan de la Maguana, Dominican Republic. The need is great and the cooperation with the Dominican Rotary clubs was impressive. These are some of the images from the trip:
District 5790 Wheelechair Project September 10-15, 2014
Hundreds of children ages 7-11 are writing their own stories as part of a project run by the Rotary E-Club of the Caribbean. The best stories are published each year in "The Butterfly StoryBook." It's just one example of how Rotary members worldwide advance early childhood reading. Learn more about this project and others for International Literacy Day, 8 September.
Larry was born in Ft. Monmouth, New Jersey, to Texas parents and raised in a military family, moving to various places around the world that included Ansbach, Germany and Tokyo, Japan He grad-uated from Texas A&M University with a BBA in Management and a Masters of Education Degree in Educational Administration with a minor in Business.
He served over twenty-seven years in the U.S. Army Reserve, achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Medical Service Corps. His expertise was in Hospital Administration. His service rendered sixteen medals including four awards of the Army Commendation Medal; one Army Achievement Medal; two awards of the National Defense Service Medal for Vietnam and Operation Desert Storm; four awards of the Reserve Components Achievement Medal; and two awards of the Army Reserve Medal among others.
He is a Risk Management Consultant assisting companies with captive management, self-insurance programs, and commercial insurance portfolios. He also provides Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety consulting. Larry teaches as an Adjunct Professor of Business at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas.
Larry has served his community on numerous boards, president of most, over the last thirty years. Currently, he is President of the Wichita Falls Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America and serves at the state level as Secretary of the Texas Council of Chapters; President of the Southside Youth Center in Wichita Falls, Vice President of Risk Management for the Northwest Texas Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and holds the prestigious Silver Beaver Award.
Larry has been married to Paula since 1968. Paula is a Nursing Home Administrator and Social Worker. They have three children and four grandchildren.
Larry joined Rotary in 1978. He is Past President of the Rotary Club of Wichita Falls (2005-2006), Past Assistant Governor (2011-2012), and is currently serving as his club’s Secretary. He also serves as Committee Chair on the District Matching Grant Committee and is a Texas Representative of Shelterbox USA, a Rotary partner. He, and wife Paula, are both Paul Harris Fellows. Paula is a Past President of the Rotary Club of Iowa Park.
Attached you will find instructions for logging into our web site: www.mineralwellsrotary.org. Once you have logged in go to "Edit My Profile" on the admin page. Edit your personal information and add your picture.
Under the "Rotary" tab you will find your Rotary International member number. Look in "Settings" to find your login name and change your password. You can also set up a custom email signature that will display when you send emails from the email center.
The "Member Login Cheat Sheet" can be downloaded from the downloads section on our home page in the right column under the calendar. If you have any trouble, please contact me (Dan Steele) for help.
The board has approved a new policy for matching member contributions to the Rotary Foundation Annual Fund.
For first time donors, the club will match the first $100 donation. The Foundation Committee encourages sponsors of new members to offer that match from their accumulated points. (Note: You receive one point for each dollar contributed.)
The club will continue to match donations, up to $300, that will bring the donor to the next $1,000 level.
With his congenial manner and his inclination to keep things simple, Ron Burton has a natural ability to put people at ease. But don’t let the easygoing demeanor of Rotary International’s new president lull you into thinking that he doesn’t get serious when it’s time for business.
“If you ask my opinion, you’re going to get it,” Burton says, his neighborly look morphing into a solemn gaze. “When I feel strongly about something, I will argue like crazy for my position. I suppose that’s sort of an ego thing, but if I discern that someone has a vested interest or may be looking at a personal economic benefit, I have a simple suggestion: Apply The Four-Way Test.”
(Ron Burton made his mark on his alma mater, The University of Oklahoma, where he served as president of the school's foundation for nearly three decades. Photo by Monika Lozinska/Rotary International)
An uncompromising sense of ethics may be the only personal quality that the former president of the University of Oklahoma Foundation Inc. is willing to wear on his sleeve. “Like most people, I don’t like to be told I’m wrong,” he says. “But I can be convinced that there’s another way to look at something, and sometimes I’ll change my mind. If it’s an ethical issue, though, you’re not going to tell me I’m wrong. It’s not going to happen. I’ve dealt with too many people over the years who wanted to misuse funds. I’ve looked them in the eye and said, ‘I’m not going to jail for you or anyone else.’”
Burton says most of his career success came from being “in the right place at the right time.” It started with growing up in a small town (Duncan, Okla., USA) in the postwar era and having a chance to operate his own business at age 13. “Delivering newspapers was a business back then,” he says, recalling his days as a Duncan Banner carrier. “You had to buy your papers, buy your rubber bands, buy your bag; you had to wait for the papers, roll them, and deliver them; you had to collect, you had to pay your bill. Anything left over was yours.”
A few years later, as a student at the University of Oklahoma in the late ʼ60s, Burton worked part time in the accounting office. Between graduation and law school, he was hired to replace a close friend at the office who had been drafted into the military. (Burton did his own military service through advanced ROTC and the National Guard.)
“I ended up being the No. 2 accountant for the University of Oklahoma a week after I got out of school,” he says. He continued in the job during his first year in law school, but soon was recommended to replace the outgoing treasurer of the University of Oklahoma Foundation. “When I graduated, my boss, who was a past governor of our Rotary district, asked me to stay on, with the idea that I might be selected to succeed him when he retired. I took over his position as president in 1978 and retired in 2007. That’s my career at Oklahoma – storybook, really.”
When it came to meeting his future wife, Jetta, Burton was initially in the right place, but his timing was a bit off. Both charter members of the baby boom generation, they were born in the same year and at the same overcrowded hospital, where dresser drawers substituted for basinets. But he arrived three months ahead of her. They had mutual friends growing up and finally met in high school, where they were members of the band. He was a junior and played trombone. She was a sophomore and played bassoon. Their first date was 18 September 1962. They tied the knot in college.
After 45 years of marriage, with a daughter, a son, and three grandchildren, Burton emphasizes that their life together has been a partnership, especially when it comes to Rotary.
“Jetta is my best critic,” says Burton, a member of the Rotary Club of Norman. “She will level with me, on whether I made a natural and believable presentation – on all sorts of things. She’s been supportive all along the way, from presidents-elect training seminars to district assemblies and conferences. If she had not supported me in this, I wouldn’t be here today.”
The vital role of the family in Rotary is at the core of Burton’s beliefs. “When we talk about the family of Rotary, I know public relations is a part of that,” he says. “But to me, it really is the family of Rotary. If you get your own family involved in this, with your own heart, and it expands to the world, that’s the family of Rotary – that’s community service.”
Throughout his time in Rotary, especially during this past year of traveling and meeting Rotarians from various countries, that perspective has helped Burton appreciate the diversity and ever-growing potential of the organization. “Speaking to Rotarians from around the world has made me more tolerant of different points of view,” he says. “You learn that there is another way to do things, that there are differences in cultures and differences in individuals. But the basic tenets come through for all of us, no matter where we are. I’d like to think there are no regional differences in the integrity aspect of the organization, but I believe we may need to do a better job of working on that and highlighting it.”
Burton is firm in his view of the relationship between Rotary International and Rotarians. “Rotary International is nothing more than an association of Rotary clubs, and the Secretariat is here to serve those clubs,” he says. “Rotary International’s job is to support the clubs, and Rotarians are the ones who do things. We need to keep that in mind. The Secretariat is a sacred place, and it should be respected, just like the office of the president. Our job is to inspire people, to act as an inspirational pivot point to bring the senior leadership in, to serve those clubs and districts so that we can make things happen. But Rotary International is not an end in itself.”
Burton is enthusiastic about the success of his “first class” campaign, which aims to make the 2013-14 class of Rotary leaders the first in which every district governor and club president contributes to The Rotary Foundation. “We’ve already raised $3.6 million, and we’ve only got 8,128 club presidents so far,” he says. “All the governors are in, for the first time in history.”
Success in fundraising was a hallmark of Burton’s three decades of service at the University of Oklahoma Foundation. During his tenure, he notes, the foundation’s assets grew from $17.5 million to $890 million. But that achievement is not on the short list of his proudest accomplishments.
“There are two things I take great pride in,” he says. “One is that there was never a penny out of place – every single cent was always accounted for. The other is that, more than five years after I’ve left, except for subsequent retirements, everyone who was working for me is still there. I think that’s a great testament that I did something right.”
The management style that led to that success is unlikely to change much, but Burton, whose reading pleasure runs toward biographies of American presidents, believes that his experience watching and working with past Rotary presidents will help him hone an effective approach.
“I don’t want to leave anyone out, but some of them do stick out in my mind,” he says. “Bill Boyd had a big impact on me – he’s a great communicator. I learned a lot about tolerance from Carlo Ravizza. Jim Lacy ran a great meeting and was businesslike in his approach. Jon Majiyagbe is a great role model as a gentle person with a steady manner. And then there’s Frank Devlyn. I’ll tell you what: If you don’t like Frank Devlyn, I don’t like you. It’s that simple.”
Seeing and expressing things in simple, straightforward terms is one of Burton’s most apparent strengths. “If I had one wish for the American people,” he says, “it’s that they could go to one of the impoverished countries that Rotarians do so much work in and see how good we have it here.”
For Burton, there’s no doubt about how good he’s had it. “I’ve had a blessed life,” he says. “I had a great family life growing up, and I look at our kids and our grandkids, and I think they’ve done pretty well too. You worry about things, of course, and you want the best for your family. I think Rotary gives me an opportunity to help make this world a little bit better and help give others a better life – not only my grandkids but other people’s grandkids too.”
A year from now, Burton will look back and measure his success by a standard that is pure Oklahoma: “At the end of the day, I hope to leave the woodpile just a little higher.”
President Keri Dobbs opened the meeting and Diane Brown lead in the pledge to our flag. Jimmy Walker said the invocation and Roger Patel had a joke for us. Charles Thompson got his ticket drawn but he drew the 10 of ♥’s. He took home $11. The pot is approaching $300. Our esteemed guest was Ted Oliver...Welcome!
The plea went out again for transportation for the RYLA team coming up soon. Remember, there will be no meeting on July 3rd. The Rotary disaster relief for Granbury was $1243.00.
Program chair Kevin Laigle introduced Ted Oliver who is the executive director of Addiction Recovery Ministries in Mineral Wells. “For nearly a decade now, the program has dedicated its services to reducing the problems caused by drug addition to the fabric of our society. The program initially began as a church sponsored program called River Jordan. In 2005 the Ministerial Alliance agreed to attack substance abuse dependency and poverty. They decided to use the River Jordan model for a city-wide expression with its own 501C3 tax exempt entity with a separate board of directors: so A.R.M. was born. It became obvious that we needed a safe house for men in our program that would be removed form their unhealthy environment. If you are already a supporter of A.R.M.N., we than you; if you are not, we could use your help.”
As advance notice, right now set aside Saturday, August 17…Your District Membership and Foundation Assembly! This year it will be held in Weatherford, beginning at 8:45….More details to follow…right now just set the date and confirm attendance. Lunch will be served for some good fellowship!
The Board of Directors of the Rotary Club of Mineral Wells voted to send $500 from our club to the Rotary District 5790 Foundation to aid in relief for people affected by the tornados in the Granbury and Cleburne areas. Club members donated an additional $188 for this need for a total of $688 from our club. If you missed out and wish to contribute, send your contributions to the following address:
To make a donation to the 5790 Foundation, please make the check payable to: Rotary District 5790 Foundation and mail it to: Kim Crawford, CPA
Sutton Frost Cary LLP
600 Six Flags Drive, Suite 600
Arlington, TX 76011
Disaster Relief for the Granbury and Cleburne areas
Manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur has committed to providing 1.7 billion doses of oral polio vaccine to support the polio endgame strategic plan. “Sanofi Pasteur’s commitment of 1.7 billion vaccine doses comes at a crucial moment as we make the final push needed to end polio once and for all,” says RI General Secretary John Hewko.
At the recent Rotary District Conference our club received the "Presidential Citation". This citation is awarded to clubs who achieve in a great number of areas in Rotary set out by the President of Rotary International each year. Please congratulate your President Keri Dobbs for her hard work in leading us to acheive the goals necessary to receive this award.
At the district level our club is considered a very good Rotary Club because of the support of Rotary ideals in all areas of Rotary. You should also congratulate yourselves for your hard work and dedication.
Congratulations to the Rotary Club of Mineral Wells
President Keri Dobbs opened the meeting, Diane Brown said the pledge and Fred Danforth lead in the invocation Rual Perkins was the “mini-prize” winner, taking home $15, but drew the 8 of ♥’s. The “mega-prize” stands at $223. Guests were Diana Pedigo and Wally Wallace of Wallace Insurance. Wally is a member of the Weatherford Rotary club and Diana is considering membership in our club as she opens a new office here. Welcome our guests! Fred Danforth told us of an opportunity to donate to the Granbury Disaster Relief on the Rotary District 5790 website.
Program Chair Gail Haterius, introduced Lisa Cox, the speaker for today’s program. Lisa is Vice President of Operations of Junior Achievement of the Chisholm Trail and spoke of implementing Junior Achievement in the Mineral Wells Independent School District. The program will begin here during the 2013-14 school year and is a world-wide program including the USA and over 100 other countries. There are presently 4,000,000 students in the program in the United States. “At Junior Achievement of the Chisholm Trail, we give young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make smart academic and economic choices.” Use of corporate and community volunteers provide the additional manpower for the program.
The highlight of the conference occurred at Friday evening’s dinner which featured a panel of experts discussing the fight against polio. Experts from the World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), and RI presented a captivating evening describing the mission of their respective organization, its role in the effort to eradicate polio and how each organization interfaces with the other. Captivating really does not do this event proper justice – this was an event that is truly unique to a Rotary district conference. RI Director Silvers stated that the participating organizations sent their “A” team. He further stated that in his many years in Rotary, he had not experienced an event of this magnitude at a district conference. What more can be said…
Robert Emory Allen is the Valedictorian at Gordon High School. Growing up on a farm, his dream was to become a large animal veterinarian. He understands the requirements of this career and knows that he will have to make a lot of sacrifices to achieve this goal. He is very active in 4H and FFA. He is also heavily involved at his school and has worked on his farm since he was ten. Currently he is employed with Tuff and Buff Lawn Care and is skilled in welding and mechanical repair. Throughout his high school career, he has received numerous leadership awards and is very active in his community. He stated in his application:
“…as long as I can remember I have always desired to take practice in a career that would surround me with a lot of animals and people in the field of agriculture. I now have the confidence and determination to know that it is not just a dream, it will be my reality”.
Kevin Gregory is the Salutatorian at Mineral Wells High School. He is very active in school, church, and his community. Recently, Kevin qualified for State in Computer Applications and set a Mineral Wells High School record for his score in Number Sense. After high school he plans to seek ordination as an elder in his church. He plans to attend Southwestern University in Georgetown to obtain a major in Mathematics and minor in Education. After college He will attend Perkins School of Theology in Dallas to complete seminary and be ordained. He stated in his application:
“I have felt God’s calling on my heart. I love the feeling of being behind a pulpit or podium preaching and delivering the word of God, it’s awe-inspiring”.
Trella Waight will graduate in the top five percent of her class. She too is very active at school and in her community. She is a very devoted student and works extremely hard to maintain her high grades. She plans to pursue her college education to study Law. She stated that:
“I would like to become a financial and legal representative; I would like to be able to work with my most enjoyed subject, math, which is where financing comes in (holding an accounting position for a law firm), but also take on more serious obstacles and have a higher role in the business community.”
Patricia Nance is the Valedictorian at Santo High School. She is very active in UIL, Sports, Organizations and Clubs, and in her community. She has received numerous honors and awards and is employed at Subway. She plans to attend Southern Methodist University and will double major in Biology and Spanish and pursue a doctoral degree in Biology. She wants to spend her life as a biological researcher and travel. She plans to use her knowledge of Spanish to break down communication barriers in the name of scientific progress. She states:
“I want to change the world, and believe that Southern Methodist University is the right place for me to continue my education. My dreams are so big that it is all I can do to keep up, but before I can accomplish anything I need a good education.”
All Rotarians and spouses who participated in activities with the GSE team from Brazil on May 3-5 had a great time. Connie and Richard Ball hosted a reception with the GSE team members and host families on Friday night where we got to know the team members. The boat trip at Possum Kingdom was a big hit with our visitors as well as the Rotarians and spouses who attended and the weather was great. The club social hosted by the Steele's was a fun relaxed evening as we all had the opportunity to interact with the GSE Team. Again the weather was very nice for the party outside on the deck that night. Sunday, the hosts provided lunch for their Brazilian guests and then they left for Denton.
Delegates from Rotary’s 532 districts met in downtown Chicago 21-26 April to consider changes to the policies that govern Rotary International and its member clubs.
Council approves dues increase, unlimited e-clubs By Arnold R. Grahl
Rotary News -- 30 April 2013
Representatives from Rotary’s 532 districts met in downtown Chicago 21-26 April, approving a number of measures designed to strengthen Rotary, increase membership, and enhance the organization’s capacity to serve.
The Council on Legislation meets every three years to consider changes to the policies that govern Rotary International and its member clubs. This year’s Council accepted an increase of US$1 per year in per capita dues, removed limits on e-clubs, permitted satellite clubs, and changed the name of the fifth Avenue of Service to “Youth Service.”
The dues increase means Rotary clubs will pay Rotary International annual per capita dues of $54 in 2014-15, $55 in 2015-16, and $56 in 2016-17. Dues for 2013-14 had already been set to $53.
The RI Board of Directors proposed the increase based on a five-year financial forecast that projected that Rotary’s spending would exceed revenues by $9 million in 2018 if there were no increase. The result would be a drop in the General Surplus Fund below the level required by the RI Bylaws.
My name is Letícia. I’m 27 years old. I'm single and I have a 6 year-old daughter. I’m sponsored byRotaryClub Patrocínio Brumado dos Pavões,District4770. I’m an Agronomistand I work as aTechnical SalesRepresentativefor amultinationalproducer ofchemicalpesticides. In the GSE, I’d like to visit farms andcompanies related tothe production ofonions, soy beans and other regional crops. There aremultinationalfactories near District 5790, as Dow Agrosciences and DuPont Pioneer, which arelinked to agriculture and I really enjoy visiting. It would also beinteresting to visit The Six Floor Museum inDallasand the FortWorthStockyards. I loverodeo andeverything related to theold west. I lovegoing to concertsand watching sport games.
LETÍCIAS NELMA SOARES - MEMBER DISTRICT 4770 GSE TEAM
In the absence of President Keri AND President-Elect Diane, Secretary Saskia , in good fashion, opened the meeting and carried on fabulously. Mary Braddock started the Pledge to our flag and Gail Haterius said the invocation. Charles Thompson got his ticket drawn and profited $14 assuming he purchased only one ticket. The pot has now risen to $32 and the 10 of ♣’s is now missing from the deck. Our guest today was Janna Rasmussen, guest of Karyn Bullock. Thank you Karyn for bringing her and invite Janna any time.
We were reminded to finish selling our tickets for the May 1 drawing for the shotgun. Program Chair Lance Howerton introduced Brenda Stewart of Passion 22:6 Ministries, a non-profit 501c3 public charity dba Venue 2:17 in Mineral Wells. He told how she came into his office a few months ago with a story to tell and a request for information for an available facility for her project.
Ms. Stewart continued, Venue 2:17 is attempting, with success in bringing teens together to promote positive behaviors, healthy choices, and community involvement in a safe and unconditional, Christian environment. Their Mission Statement: “To reach this generation before we have to rescue it.: There are many indicators that exhibit the need of a community teen ministry: crime, drug abuse, teen pregnancy and promiscuity and other destructive behavior. Their success was documented and support was encouraged. Good program, Lance.
My name is Thaís Alves. I’m from 4770 District and I’m sponsored by Morrinhos Rotary Club, in Morrinhos City of Goiás State. I’m 25 years old. I’m single. I graduated in Portuguese, English and Literatures (Languages). Actually I’m studying Business Administration. I have a Language School which I’m a director and teacher too. I teach English as a foreign language. I live with my brother and my parents live at a farm. I’m happy to participate in this project. In Texas, I would like to know the American Education System, from Kindergarten to University. I’d like to know the process of language teaching in Language Schools, from administration to Languages Lessons. I’ like to attend English Classes. It’s very important to know the American culture, so, I’d like to visit museums, libraries, universities, parks, sporting events such as football, baseball, golf, rodeos and other places that represent the Texan and American culture.
Brazil District 4770 GSE Team Member - THAIS ALVES OLIVEIRA
My name is Leonardo. I am 27 years old. I´m Single. I am from Uberaba, located in the state of Minas Gerais. I am sponsored by the Rotary club Uberaba Leste, representing District 4770.
I have a Masters degree in maintenance engineering and I work as process engineer at Delta, a sugar and alcohol plant. I also work as a university professor in the areas of administration and logistics.
While in district 5790, I would like to visit aerospace, technology and petroleum manufacturers, business administration universities, school music, logistics systems for receiving and sending cargo at airports, ports and railway stations, agricultural machines and agribusiness.
My hobbies are: playing the guitar, listening to jazz, blues and country music. I love boats, cars, animals such as dogs and cattle.
Brazil District 4770 GSE Team Member LEONARDO HENRIQUE MELO
My name is Andrea, I'm 36 years old, single and have a 12-year-old daughter. I come from district (4770) forty-seven seventy), sponsored by Rotary Club of Araguari, State of Minas Gerais.
I am a dentist and work in a private office. I’m post graduated in dental prosthesis, both functional and esthetic, but I work in oral surgery also. My goal in the GSE Program is to know about the American dentistry, both private and public, as well as the graduate
programs and research. I would also like to know more about the American culture, visit museums, and watch a baseball/golf game.
Brazil District 4770 GSE Team Member - ANDREA LOPES DE SIQUEIRA
My name is Marcelo de Oliveira Ferreira. I amleader of the GSE BRA–USA 2013. I come from the RC Patrocínio Brumado dos Pavões, on District 4770. I'm anattorney specializing in business law and public law. I work in a law firm and at City Hall as the prosecutor. I am a partner in a construction company houses and a stationery. I'm 36years old, married and have a daughter 7 months old. I am interested to visit legal departments of companies, the city hall and the legislative. I'd like to visit construction companies and retail stores. I am seeking for partnership projects between our districts and clubs.
Brazil District 4770 Team Leader - MARCELO DE OLIVEIRA FERREIRA
As Americans we all want to make a statement of support for our Country and our Flag. But how do we do that? Where will we find the time? The Rotary Club of Mineral Wells is proud to present a unique American Flag Subscription Program for the Mineral Wells area. It will provide you and your neighbors a unified, consistent way to proudly support our Country and our Flag.
Your annual contribution of $42.00 allows you to participate. Members of the Rotary Club of Mineral Wells will place a 3’ x 5’ American Flag on a 10’ metal pole in your yard on the morning of the following days:
Presidents Day Flag Day 9/11 Patriots Day
Memorial Day Independence Day Veterans Day
The flag pole will be inserted in a sleeve placed 12” from the curb (below lawn mower height). We will retrieve the Flag at sunset that day. In the event rain prevents us from displaying your flag on a designated holiday, we will display it on the following Sunday.
IMAGINE WHAT A BEAUTIFUL PATRIOTIC DISPLAY WILL BE EXPRESSED PROMINENTLY AND UNIFORMLY THROUGHOUT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
Hunt: Dove, Quail, Pheasant, Ducks, Geese, Turkey or just for home protection Chokes: Skeet, Improved, Modified, Imp/Mod, & Full
Retail Value: $1,500
Tickets: Only 200 sold. Odds per ticket 1:200 (Drawing: May 1, 2013 @ 1pm)
Cost per ticket: $50 each: Cash or Make Checks payable to Mineral Wells Rotary Club
*Must be 18 yrs old and legally able to possess a firearm.
Rotarians are asked to sell a minimum of 2 tickets. Please try to sell 4-6 tickets in order for us to sell out our raffle tickets and make the maximum amount from our fundraiser.
The Rotary Foundation has identified seven areas of focus:
1. Peace and Conflict
2. Prevention / Resolution
3. Disease Prevention and Treatment
4. Water and Sanitation
5. Maternal and Child Health
6. Basic Education and Literacy
7. Economic and Community Development
Your contribution makes a difference in the lives of people close to home and people around the world.
Your contribution makes a difference in our club record for 2012-13 ... if you make your gift before March 15.
Our club recommends giving at least $100 to the Foundation and $50 to Polio Plus each year.
You make a difference when you give to Rotary.
(Editor's note: After Kevin Gregory won the Rotary Club of Mineral Wells' Four-Way Test speech contest last week, the Index invited him to submit his text for publication. The Mineral Wells High School senior plans to attend Southwestern University, in Georgetown next year and, afterwards, enroll in seminary to become ordained in the United Methodist Church.)
"We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes people arrogant, but love builds people up." (1 Corinthians 8:1 CEB)
Back in September I was at a meeting for the Central Texas Conference of the United Methodist Council on Youth Ministry, or CCYM for short – we Methodists tend to have a lot of acronyms.
Anyway, during the meeting we were discussing how to live like Jesus, an admirable goal I think. It was our devotional before we got down to business. How do you show love to everyone? How do you be like Jesus?
One of my friends, Dan Coleman, was sitting next to me and, I don't know if he did it to be funny or if he was being serious, but, he just blurted out, “You just do.”
RI President-elect Ron Burton will ask Rotarians to Engage Rotary, Change Lives in 2013-14.
He unveiled the RI theme during the opening plenary session of the 2013 International Assembly in San Diego, California, USA, the annual training event for incoming district governors.
“If we really want to take Rotary service forward, then we must make sure that every single Rotarian has the same feeling about Rotary that each one of us here has today,” Burton said. “We need to make sure that every Rotarian has a meaningful role to play, that they’re all making a contribution, and that their contribution is valued.”
When I am asked about the Rotary Foundation, I immediately respond with a simple statement. “The Rotary Foundation is the foundation for us as Rotarians.” With the Rotary Foundation, we have the ability to participate in local and international projects. We have the ability to expand the knowledge and skills of young individuals when they participate in our scholar programs and our Group Study Exchange programs. We have the ability to build peace when we open up the world to our Peace Fellows. And finally we have the ability to make history when we create a polio free world for all children.
As Rotarians, we should take advantage of our participation in the programs of the Rotary Foundation. When we do this, we learn. We learn how to develop a humanitarian project; we learn how to find a scholar, we learn to how to find a Group Exchange Study team member; we learn how to find a Peace Fellow; and we learn how to develop innovative ways to fundraise for the eradication of Polio. In doing so, we challenge ourselves, we evolve ourselves, we involve others and thus, we grow stronger as individuals and as clubs.
We do have one other way to participate, and without this, we cannot perform all the aforementioned programs and projects. Our financial commitment is needed. When we contribute to the Rotary Foundation, eventually all the funds contributed come back to our district for these programs and projects. So think about it this way. Whenever you see a 3rd grade child with a Rotary dictionary, whenever you travel abroad and see a water and sanitation project, whenever you meet a Group Study Exchange team member or scholar, and whenever you hear about the decreased incidence of polio around the world, you can say “I have a part changing lives.”
Dan Morales is District Chair, Rotary Foundation for District 5790.
Four members of the Rotary Club of Mineral Wells participated in the Center of Life’s Wheelchair Ramp project on October 19 and 20. The project also included student members of the Key Club sponsored by the Mineral Wells Kiwanis. The groups met on Friday to build the frames for the two ramps. On Saturday, the Rotary group participated in the building of a 20 foot ramp which will allow the 75 year old resident to safely leave her home. The resident had previously been injured when she fell on her porch steps.
The Rotary members participating were Nancy Cameron, Paton Wall, Harris Brooks and Mary Braddock. As an aside – Nancy is the President of the Mineral Wells Humane Society. She is working with the resident to ensure her cats are spayed/neutered in the near future.
Wheelchair Ramp Project-Friday October 19 and Saturday October 20
Model response stopped 2011 outbreak in record time
Vaccinating children at a road intersection
WHO/WPRO
9 October 2012 marks 12-months since China’s last polio case had onset of paralysis. In 2011, polio from Pakistan had infected China to cause an outbreak in southern Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. China had previously been polio-free since 1999 when an importation from India had occurred. The last indigenous polio case dates back to 1994.
Immediately upon detecting the outbreak, the Government of China mounted what can only be described as a true model response, mobilizing every sector of the government and civil society. China’s rigorous response succeeded in stopping the outbreak in record-time – within just three months from index to last polio case. Thanks to such decisive actions, it is anticipated that the Western Pacific Region will be able to maintain its polio-free certified status. Much more important than that, however: this model response saved lives and prevented further people from being affected by the devastating, life-long effects of polio.
Foundation peace programs:
A master's program in peace and conflict resolution.
Also a 90 day certification program.
Group Study Exchange:
With District 4770 in Brazil from April 10-May 10, 2013.
One Rotarian Team Leader; 4 non-Rotarian team members.
Team members are non-Rotarian young professionals ages 25-40.
Polio Plus:
District 5790 Contributions
2010-11 $145,656
2011-12 $121,743
Dec 2007 - June 2012 $524,912
District Simplified Grants:
27 applications: 20 approved for $32,787 plus 5 District Funded Grants for $5,000
Twenty years ago, six clubs -- three in the United States, two in Canada, and one in Scotland -- helped charter the Rotary Club of Kyiv, the first in Ukraine. Now the country has more than 40 clubs and many Rotaractors. At a recent gala, Rotarians instrumental in bringing Rotary to Ukraine celebrated.
Rotarians in Mozambique recently provided a water tank and bathroom facilities for a primary school outside Maputo. It’s just one example of how Rotarians are working to improve sanitation and access to clean water.
Global grant provides water, sanitation for school children in Mozambique
By Vanessa Glavinskas
Rotary News -- 20 August 2012
Rotarian José Rui Amaral stood in the bathroom of the Hulene A school for only a minute before he couldn’t stand it anymore. “The smell was horrible,” he says.
The primary school outside Maputo, Mozambique, lacked money to update its crumbling sanitation system, built decades earlier, when the school served 700 students. It now serves 2,500 students and staff.
The plumbing was so deteriorated that school officials were forced to close the bathrooms and set up makeshift stalls in a neighboring open area -- one side for girls, the other for boys.
Not only were the bathrooms in disrepair, but the school lacked running water. There were two taps on the playground that ran for only two hours a day.
The Rotary Club of Maputo, Mozambique, partnered with the Rotary Club of Skanderborg, Denmark, on a global grant project to build bathrooms, a water hole, and a tank for a school in Maputo.
From the District 5790 District Newsletter "Tales & Trails of 5790"
Dear Rotarians,
A new year for Rotary has started with new club presidents, new district governors, and a new Rotary International President. Our 2012-2013 Rotary theme is” Peace Through Service” and we are asking each Rotarian to focus on service in the community and in the world. We as Rotarians make a difference in the world by our service. A belief in the power of service lies at the very heart of Rotary. By making service our priority, we put the needs of others above our own. When we understand that other needs are the same as our own, we begin to understand how important our work is.
I am excited and look forward to moving into a new Rotary year. Everything we appreciate in Rotary remains constant but the people and roles change. This year we have three goals for our district which will parallel with Rotary International.
First goal is to complete the eradication of polio. Remember “ we are this close “ to eradicating polio and only three endemic countries are left and we need to keep our promise to the children of the world by giving to the” End Polio Now” program.
Our second goal is membership and we need to grow Rotarians in our clubs by bringing in new members. When I make the District Governor’s visit to your club, I look forward to inducting a new member. Also we want to add new clubs in our district; so be on the lookout for new club opportunities. Remember the first thing you must do is ask someone to come with you to your club.
The third goal is making our Foundation grow Every Rotarian Every Year (everyone giving and the club having an average of hundred dollar per member annual). Many clubs are Sustaining Member Clubs with each club member giving a minimum of a hundred dollar contribution annually. The Rotary Foundation and the world depend on our support.
Together as Rotarians we can accomplish these goals.
It’s a great honor to serve as your 2012-13 RI president and represent you in Rotary. Since joining this organization in 1975, it has changed my life and given me more than I ever anticipated. I look forward to sharing some of that with you.
Through Rotary, I learned the purpose of my life wasn’t to earn more, but to help others. Through our service, we learn that the problems that may seem large to us are really very small.
I also learned that through Rotary, we could build peace. As part of the first generation to grow up in Japan after World War II, I understand the importance of peace and its connection to our well-being.
Peace can mean many things for many people, but however we understand peace, Rotary can help us achieve it. Rotary helps us meet the basic needs of health care, sanitation, food, and education. These can bring peace. In addition, we need peace as well for vaccinators to go into countries such as Afghanistan to prevent children from getting polio. It is through our work as Rotarians that we help to build the foundation for a more peaceful world.
Through service, we can bring peace. This is why our 2012-12 Rotary theme is Peace Through Service.
2011-12 was a banner year for the Mineral Wells Rotary Club. Our support of the Rotary Foundation has been outstanding!
The club contributed:
Annual Program Fund $6,955
Polio Plus $2,850 For a total of $9,805
Dan Steele tells me its one of the club’s best years ever!
Thanks for all you do to help Rotary build a better world.
One day in the fall of 1900, Paul P. Harris met attorney Bob Frank for dinner in a well-off neighborhood on the North Side of Chicago. They took a walk around the area and stopped at shops along the way. Harris was impressed by how Frank had made friends with many of the shopkeepers.
ROTARY YOUTH LEADERSHIP AWARDS (RYLA): Each year thousands of young people are selected to attend Rotary-sponsored leadership camps or seminars held in districts throughout the world. In an informal atmosphere groups of outstanding young people ages 14-30 spend several days in a challenging program of leadership training, discussions, inspirational addresses, and social activities designed to enhance personal development, leadership skills and good citizenship.
2012 RYLA students L to R Macie McCauley, Gerardo Moya, Rachael Montgomery, Leia Montgomery and Maceo Williams go to RYLA at Texas Women's University the third week of June.
Our Interact Club is havng a fundraiser to collect gently used clothing items from babies to seniors. These items will be donated to a new shop in town (Noah's Ark). We will begin collecting these items at our meeting this Wednesday. Let's support our Interact students by bringing donations!!!
CLOTHING DRIVE
BENEFITING THE LOCAL
Noah’s Ark THRIFT STORE
Clothing DriveSponsored by the MWHS ROTARY INTERACT CLUB
This photo is found if A.F. Weaver's book "TIME WAS in Mineral Wells", first edition, p. 101. The caption reads, "Inside the Dameron Hotel at a joint meeting of Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs. Dr. McCracken is third from the right." Dr. Joseph Hill McCracken was President of the Texas Medical Association in 1911. The Dameron Hotel, in the 100 block between W. Hubbard and S.W. 1st St., burned in 1975.
The 2012 RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) students have been selected to attend RYLA at Texas Woman’s University, Denton, Texas, June 21-24.
Selected were Rachel Montgomery, Leia Montgomery, Maycie McCauley, Maceo Williams and Gerardo Moya. Three of these will be seniors next fall and two will be juniors. The students that we have sent the last few years have helped us start the Interact Club at Mineral Wells High School.
The RYLA Program is led in a professional, collegiate atmosphere where participants will:
Develop leadership skills with the assistance of experts in
social development in a classroom environment.
Increase self-confidence and enhance teamwork skills through
participation in low challenge course exercises.
Learn proper social and business etiquette while participating
in a formal dinner event.
Observe how city government operates while participating in
a Mock City Council Meeting.
Expand their civic and patriotic skills in ethics and responsibility
classes.
Learn about the purpose and objectives of Rotary International
while attending a Rotary club meeting.
Learn about the Rotary Four Way Test.
Prepare for the college experience.
Participate in a community service project.
Participate in a “Service Above Self” exercise called Promises, Promises.
RYLA aims to:
Demonstrate Rotary’s respect and concern for young people.
Provide leadership concepts for selected youth leaders.
Encourage leadership of youth by youth.
Recognize publicly young people who are rendering service to their communities.
RYLA provides:
An introduction of a variety of issues and people.
As a Rotary Youth Exchange student, you’ll spend up to a year living with host families and attending school in a different country.
Whether you participate in Rotary’s long-term or short-term Youth Exchange programs, you’ll learn a new way of living, a great deal about yourself, and maybe even a new language. You’ll also be an ambassador, teaching people you meet about your country, culture, and ideas. You can help bring the world closer – and make some good friends in the process.
For over 75 years, students and host families have broadened their horizons through Rotary Youth Exchange. More than 80 countries and over 8,000 students each year participate in the program, which is administered at the regional level by Rotary districts and at the local level by Rotary clubs.
The WELCOME sign was donated to the city of Mineral Wells in 1922 by George Holmgreen, President of the Texas Rotary Club, following the Rotary Convention in Mineral Wells that year.
It is a story so familiar to most Rotarians that it has evolved beyond lore and become assimilated into the genetic code of the organization. In 1932, Herbert J. Taylor, the newly appointed president of a nearly bankrupt Chicago cookware company, believing his employees were in need of an "ethical yardstick," wrote four questions on a small, white piece of paper:
By Ryan Hyland
Rotary International News – 30 March 2012
Rotary International and ShelterBox, a grassroots disaster relief organization, signed a project partner agreement this month, allowing the two organizations to collaborate more closely to provide relief and temporary shelter to survivors of natural disasters.
“Project partner” is a special status RI gives to groups started or managed by Rotary clubs. The agreement will build on the strengths of both organizations in responding to disasters all over the world.
“Our Rotary friends have always been there ready to assist – from generous donations to direct operational support on the ground Rotary has always been part of our DNA,” said Tom Henderson, ShelterBox CEO. “I feel like we have 34,000 ShelterBox offices around the world working together to help those who have lost everything when they need us the most.” Tom Henderson, CEO of ShelterBox, and John Hewko, RI general secretary, during the signing of a project partner agreement this month. Photo by Alyce Henson/Rotary Images Bottom: ShelterBox teams distributed more than 550 tents to Madagascar for families left homeless by a powerful cyclone. Photo by Angela Spencer-Smith/ShelterBox
WELCOME new members, Nancy Cameron, sponsored by Mary Braddock and Lynn Porter, sponsored by Diane Brown. As you can see in the ANNOUNCEMENTS there are four proposed new members. It is so refreshing to see this recent expansion in our club. We mistakenly have accepted the belief that no one “joins” these days. There is a great desire for members of our community to be of service and are looking for worthwhile avenues of service. There is no better organization than ROTARY to unite a community's efforts behind worthwhile projects. Not only do many hands make light work, but many hands increase the number of people we can help. And that is not all; there is a real joy in being the source of benefit to those who otherwise would not have received it. There indeed, are many needy people in our community and it is not always their fault.
Let us all dedicate some effort and recruit candidates for membership into the Mineral Wells Rotary club this year.
About twelve of the Interact Club members helped Rotarians with evening flag pickup on President's Day. These students are the top students at Mineral Wells High School and were very enthusiastic about their first opportunity to do service in our community.
The Mineral Wells Rotary Club made history in January of 2012, with a request to charter their first Interact Club. The Mineral Wells Interact Club has completed its organizational responsibilities by electing officers, directors, and adopting the Club Constitution and by-laws.
Interact is a service club for youth, ages 14-18, with over 250,000 youth in more than 11,000 clubs worldwide. Interact’s name is a combination of the words international and action. The clubs are self-governing and self-supporting with the purpose of providing the opportunity for young people to work together in a world fellowship dedicated to service and international understanding.
Rotary clubs serve communities around the world, each with unique concerns and needs. Rotarians have continually adapted and improved the way they respond to those needs, taking on a broad range of service projects. The most successful and sustainable Rotary service tends to fall within one of the following six areas:
Peace and conflict prevention/resolution
Disease prevention and treatment
Water and sanitation
Maternal and child health
Basic education and literacy
Economic and community development
Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation recognize these six areas of focus as organizational priorities, and there
By Antoinette Tuscano Rotary International News -- 28 June 2011
There are as many reasons to support The Rotary Foundation as there are ways to do good in the world.
By contributing to the Foundation , you help support the Foundation's six areas of focus, which help to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty. By giving US$100 a year through the Every Rotarian, Every Year (EREY) initiative, you become a Rotary Foundation Sustaining Member. Contributions to EREY are the primary source of funding for Foundation programs.
A child works on his studies thanks to books donated through a Rotary project. By contributing to the Foundation, you support basic education and literacy. Rotary Images/Monika Lozinska-Lee
Here are a few ways your contributions are making change possible.
To enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty.
Rotary International, the world’s first service organization, is made up of over 33,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas. Its members form a global network of business, professional and community leaders who volunteer their time and talents to serve their communities and the world.
Rotary's motto, Service Above Self, exemplifies the humanitarian spirit of the organization's more than 1.2 million members. Strong fellowship among Rotarians and meaningful community and international service projects characterize Rotary worldwide.
Rotary enjoys a rich and sometimes complex tradition and organizational structure, with many programs that can be confusing to new and even not-so-new members. This website offers a basic Rotary education — the fundamental knowledge that will make every member better informed about Rotary and proud to be a Rotarian.
What would it take to change the world? Rotary's 1.2 million members believe it starts with a commitment to Service Above Self.
In more than 34,000 clubs worldwide, you'll find members volunteering in communities at home and abroad to support education and job training, provide clean water, combat hunger, improve health and sanitation, and eradicate polio.
T here's something that all Rotary club members have in common: We take action. As community volunteers, we reach out to neighbors in need. We build, support, and organize. We save lives. We work locally and globally.
Around the world and around the corner, the 1.2 million men and women of Rotary
Get involved in their communities
Connect with other professionals
Share their time and experience with young people
Support global causes, such as eradicating polio
Use their skills to help others
Whether you're a veteran volunteer or new to community service, we're looking for people like you. Learn how you can get involved, or contact your local Rotary club to express your interest.
You may also contact any officer or director of the Rotary Club of Mineral Wells by clicking on their name in the upper left side of this page to send an email.
The Mineral Wells Rotary Board met noon Tuesday, January 11, at The Blackhorse. Reports were given by the secretary and the treasurer. Several upcoming events were also discussed.
Harris Brooks will lead a new member orientation at noon on February 17 in the PPGH Board Room. He will be contacting our new members inducted in the last year to participate.
The Vocational Committee led by Beth Watson are hosting the 4 Way Speech Contest at the Mineral Wells Council Chamber on February 17, at 7:00 pm. The date was scheduled with help from the high school to avoid conflicts with the stock show, UIL events, etc. Beth plans for the committe members as well as any other interested Rotarians to talk to classes at the high school to soliciet participation from the students.
The Flag Committee is working to increase the size of the flag storage facility with the possibility of a new building as well as a possible new central storage location.
The board also decided to purchase a new projector for use in club meetings. With the new locking filing cabinet contributed to the club in place at Holiday Hills Country Club, we will have a secure place to store the projector and other club items and have it available on a weekly basis.
The Public Relations Committee (Harris Brooks) will work on an announcement for the Mineral Wells Index featuring our flag program.
Out next Board meeting was set for Monday, February 7, at The Blackhorse. All Rotarians are welcome to attend the meeting.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells was selected as Partner in Education for November at the Mineral Wells ISD Board of Trustees meeting Tuesday. Rotary Club has given over $5000 in scholarships in the past year to deserving graduating students of the district. They also help with many service projects in the community. Rotary Club president Brad Wilkerson, right accepts the certificate from MWISD superintendent Dr. Ronny Collins.
These are a few of the responses that non-Rotarians consistently gave in recent Rotary International focus groups when asked what they think of when they hear the words Rotary International or Rotary club. The participants were professional women ages 30 and above and men ages 30-45, prescreened by independent market research firms to include individuals who would satisfy the requirements for Rotary club membership.
At the end of every Rotary year, 50 percent of each district's donations to the Annual Programs Fund are credited to their District Designated Fund (DDF); the other 50 percent is credited to the World Fund.
The following notice was prepared by the Ditto Public Library staff to make everyone aware of the Summer Reading program and the contribution from our Rotary club. A big thanks goes to Willie Casper who always represents our club with the library.
"Thanks to the generous donation of the Rotary Club, the Boyce Ditto Public Library was able to award two lucky readers with bicycles from Wal-Mart again this year. The Summer Ending Celebration was held at Lamar elementary on the morning of Friday, July 30, 2010 at 10am. The Catch The Reading Express Summer Reading Club members that attended were given tickets and were entered into a drawing for the Rotary Club bicycles: this was the big event we saved until the end of the party!"
As a Rotary Youth Exchange student, you'll spend up to a year living with host families and attending school in a different country.
Whether you participate in Rotary's long-term or short-term Youth Exchange programs, you'll learn a new way of living, a great deal about yourself, and maybe even a new language. You'll also be an ambassador, teaching people you meet about your country, culture, and ideas. You can help bring the world closer – and make some good friends in the process.
For over 75 years, students and host families have broadened their horizons through Rotary Youth Exchange. More than 80 countries and over 8,000 students each year participate in the program, which is administered at the regional level by Rotary districts and at the local level by Rotary clubs.
A service project well carried out is considered one of the finest public relations messages of Rotary. It is essential that Rotary clubs make every effort to inform the public of such projects.
The RI Constitution, RI Bylaws, and Standard Rotary Club Constitution provide the foundation for RI's policies and procedures and can be changed only by the Council on Legislation. The constitutional documents can be found in the Manual of Procedure .
Every club and district is entitled to propose amendments to constitutional documents by submitting legislation to the Council on Legislation. Some of Rotary's most important work results from Council actions. Find out how to propose legislation .
The district governor performs a very significant function in the world of Rotary. He or she is the single officer of Rotary International in the geographic area called a district. The district governors, who have been extensively trained at the International Assembly and regionally at the governors-elect training seminar, provide guidance and leadership to the more than 32,000 Rotary clubs of the world. They are responsible for maintaining the high performance of the clubs of their district. (District 5790 Governor 2010-11: Paul Lucas)
Our Rotary board voted to participate in a $22,000 Matching Grant to provide artificial limbs to people in Bangladesh who are unable to walk. Our part will be $1,000 with $1,000 coming from another club or clubs and $1,000 coming from District 5790 designated funds (DDF). These funds come from the district share funds from The Rotary Foundation.
Undoubtedly the most important step to promote voluntary giving to The Rotary Foundation occurred in 1957, when the idea of Paul Harris Fellow Recognition was first proposed. Although the concept of making $1,000 gifts to the Foundation was slow in developing, by the early 1970's it began to gain popularity. The distinctive Paul Harris Fellow medallion, lapel pin, and attractive certificate have become highly respected symbols of a substantial financial commitment to The Rotary Foundation by Rotarians and friends around the world. In 2006, the number of Paul Harris Fellows reached the one million mark.
District DSG grants were awarded by the DSG committee on Tuesday night August 2, 2010. Connie Ball, Chair of the Community Committee, submitted an application for a $1200 grant to be matched by our club to help Palo Pinto County Meals on Wheels begin a program to provide additional second meals per day to rural residents in need of this help. The grant was announced at the Membership/Foundation Seminar held at Mineral Wells High School on Saturday, August 14, 2010.
A club member must attend or make up at least 50 percent of regular club meetings in each half of the year (though some clubs may have more stringent requirements). Any missed meetings must be made up within 14 days of a regular meeting. If traveling, club members are encouraged to visit clubs in the new area to make up a missed meeting.
Check the Official Directory or use the Club Locator to get meeting and contact information. Be sure to call or e-mail before you show up for a meeting.
District Simplified Grants help Rotary districts provide short-term service or humanitarian aid that benefits a community. Districts can request a portion of their District Designated Fund for a grant to support one or more projects locally or internationally District Simplified Grants are managed at the district level but must adhere to the standard eligibility guidelines for humanitarian grants.
In 1978, The Rotary Foundation launched its most comprehensive humanitarian service activity with the Health, Hunger and Humanity Grants program. The "3-H" Grants program is designed to undertake large-scale service projects beyond the capacity of individual Rotary clubs or groups of clubs.
The Rotary Centers will provide future leaders with opportunities to study the root causes of conflict, theories of international relations, and effective models of cooperation, beyond academics, Rotary World Peace Fellows will gain practical tools in conflict resolution for use in their chosen careers. The Rotary Centers will also help to advance research, teaching, and publication on issues related to conflict resolution and world understanding.
In 1999, The Rotary Foundation launched the Rotary Centers for International Studies in peace and conflict resolution, a partnership with seven leading universities around the world to provide advanced educational opportunities for a group of Rotary World Peace Fellows chosen from various countries and cultures.
It was Arch Klumph, father of The Rotary Foundation, who said, "We should look at the Foundation as being not something of today or tomorrow, but think of it in terms of the years and generations to come." This long-term vision is why the Foundation's Permanent Fund (PF) is considered the most important way to ensure the future of Rotary's educational and hu-manitarian programs. Contributions to this fund are invested for the future; only earnings from their in-vestment are used to support Foundation programs.
The PF provides a steady and secure supplement to Foun-dation support, always guaranteeing a minimum level of program activity and allowing for the possibility of new and expanded programs in the future.
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Harris and Vicki Brooks during their travels, 2017.
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