John Pinegar Topeka

8/14/2019 John Pinegar Topeka

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Volume 65, Number 1July, 2008


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From the Editor

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Rotary on the world

Wide Web

Rotary International

Website

www.rotary.org

Rotary District 5710

Website

www.rotary5710.org

Rotary Club Website

www.downtowntopeka

rotary.org

Rotary International

Foundation

www.rotary.org/

foundation

I hope you have noticed the changes.Beginning this month, you will notice

that the Rotopeka, the Rotary Website

and the club email, now the Topeka

Rotary Club eNews all have a similar

look and feel.

You might sense an almost vintage or

nostalgic look to the new design. That is

intentional. It reflects the rich history of

Rotary and those who have served to

make this organization great. But at the

same time, it reflects the future of Rotary and the digital revolution

Profiled on the Rotary website is a Rotary International video fromYouTube which is one example of how Rotary is moving into the fu-

ture through digital communications. The new Rotary Club of Tope

website will bring video and other web-based content designed to

connect you to services of Rotary in new and exciting ways.

This months cover is an actual screen capture of the new website

depicted with an artists hand, brush and pallet. You will see the

brushstrokes throughout the website and other publications. Its us

age is symbolic of the artistic expression I hope to bring to the Rota

publications.

When I began this effort a few years ago, I found a project that I tr

enjoyed and I hope that you find this issue and new design to be

fresh and innovative. Its part of my ongoing effort of continual im

provement and I hope that you can see this result.

I would like to thank John Christenson for his hard work and efforts

over the past several years on the website and the club email. Jo

was extremely helpful during the transition and I appreciate his he

So here is to a new year of Rotary and one I am very excited to be

gin.
http://www.rotary.org/http://www.rotary5710.org/http://www.downtowntopekarotary.org/http://www.downtowntopekarotary.org/http://www.rotary.org/foundationhttp://www.rotary.org/foundationhttp://www.rotary.org/foundationhttp://www.rotary.org/foundationhttp://www.downtowntopekarotary.org/http://www.downtowntopekarotary.org/http://www.rotary5710.org/http://www.rotary.org/


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Meet the New Topeka

Rotary Club President

Kirk L. Johnson, Senior Vice President and Manager

of the Investment Management Group, becamehe Rotary Club of Topeka President when he was

handed the gavel by now Past President Joan

Wagnon at the clubs annual banquet.

ohnson is a graduate of Kansas State University

and holds a Masters Degree in Business Admini-

tration and a Bachelors Degree in Finance. He

also earned his Certified Financial Planning desig-

nation from the College of Financial Planning in

Denver, and has more than 27 years experience inhe trust field, joining Commerce Bank in 1993.

ohnson volunteers for the American Red Cross, The

Capper Foundation and Meals on Wheels, in addi-

ion to his involvement at his church.

He and his wife Cheryl, a Registered Dietitian, have

hree sons.

District Events Calendar

August 9, 2008District Membersship/Foundation Seminar, Washburn UniversityThe Member-

ship/Foundation/Leadership Seminar will be held on Saturday August 23rd at Washburn Univer-

sity. All members are encouraged to attend, especially Presidents, Presidents-Elect, Membersh

Chairs, and Foundation Chairs. There is no charge to attend the seminar

August 18, 2008GSE 2009 Team Member application deadlineContact Phil Coolidge 235-

3345 or [email protected]

November 8, 2008Third Annual District Foundation BanquetOverland Park Sheraton, $85

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Minutes from May Board of Trustees

Secretarys Report: John moved to approve April minute

Mike W. seconded, passed.

Treasurers Report: Gary K. reviewed the financial repor

He also presented an end of year financial projection. Johmoved, Gordon seconded to approve $600 for the RYL

banquet. Passed.

April 30 Membership: 202

New Member Nominations: Angela Root, Don Kready, Je

Hiestand, Paul Swank, Gordon moved to approve, Al se

onded, passed.

Resignations: Kent Fager, Wendell Graham. Kent was a

proved by consensus, John W. will check to see if Wende

meets the 85 rule, if so will discuss attendance privilegewith him.

Recognition Committee: A Paul Harris Award was recom

mended for Dale Cushinberry and Pauline Johnson by th

committee. Al moved to approve, Blanche seconde

passed.

Womens Alliance Scholarship: The monies budgeted we

expended. Terry moved to approve, Gary E. seconde

passed.

Shelter Box Project: John W. moved to approve $1000, cotingent on available funds in June, Henry seconde

passed.

Speaker Book Donations: at lower income schools (in add

tion to Avondale East), Kirk will see if anyone is in pursuin

this idea.

Kaw Area Technical School Scholarships: It was moved b

Mike W., seconded by Henry to put $500 in the 2008-0

budget for this, passed.

Meeting adjourned, next meeting will be June 11, 2008.Respectfully submitted,

John Wall, Secretary

Rotary Club of Topeka

Officers

PRESIDENTKirk Johnson

PRESIDENT-ELECTTerry Wages

VICE-PRESIDENTGordon

Lansford

TREASURERGary Knoll

SECRETARYJohn Wall

SERGEANT AT ARMSMike Locke

Board Members

David Beck

Alvin Dvorak

Glenda DuBoise

Fred Gatlin

Jennifer Haller

Henry McClure

Joy Moser

Blanche Parks

Susan Mauch

Past PresidentJoan Wagnon

THE ROTOPEKA

Published Monthly by the Downtown Rotary Club of

Topeka

Downtown Ramada Inn, Suite 110 Topeka, Kansas

66607

Subscription $2.00 per year

Periodicals Postage Paid at Topeka, Kansas USPS 471-860

POSTMASTER: Send address change to Rotopeka 420

SE 6th, Suite 110 Topeka, KS 66607

Rotopeka deadline is two weeks prior to the first

Thursday of the month

June Minutes can be found on page 8.


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Message from the PresidentBy Kirk Johnson, President

Make Dreams Real

t is an honor to serve as president of the Rotary Club of Topekafor the 2008-09 Rotary year. Our international president, D. K.

Lee has chosen Make Dreams Real as the theme for the up-

coming year. He has asked that we look for ways to reduce

childhood mortality through traditional Rotary programs aimed

at elevating hunger and poverty, as well as promoting health

and literacy.

ndeed, Rotarians are helping to Make Dreams Real in our lo-

cal communities and around the world. Our club is involved in

a number of literacy programs, has helped with medical and

dental clinics here in Topeka, as well as sponsoring cataract

surgery in Pakistan, polio reconstructive surgery in India and we

are currently working to put together a grant to help sponsor

an ambulance in Bangladesh.

Of course, no organization has done more to make the dream

of polio eradication a reality than Rotary. We are very close - -

new polio cases have been reduced by 99% since Rotary

aunched Polio Plus in 1985. There are only four countries where polio is endemic, Nigeria, India, Pakistan

and Afghanistan. With the help of a $100,000,000 matching grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foun-

dation, Rotary International ready to tackle the final obstacles of reaching the goal or complete eradica

tion. You will hear more about what you can do to help with this project in the next few months.

Are there unmet needs in the Topeka community were Rotarians could be of service. If you have a goo

dea, please dont hesitate to let me, or a board member know.

A special thanks to past board members Anita Wolgast and Mike Welch who recently completed their

term in office, as well as Gordon Lansford who remains on the board as Vice President. Thanks are also i

order to John Christiansen for many years of maintaining our website and sending out the weekly meet-

ng reminders. Finally, I offer one last THANK-YOU to Joan Wagnon for her leadership this past year.

The coming year should be fun as we work together to make others dream become real!


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Read it Online, Read it in ColorBy Greg Hill

Have you read the Rotopeka online? The clubhas published the issues online for the past sev-

eral months giving its readers the opportunity to

read it long before it ever arrives in your mailbox.

If you havent seen the online version, you might

be a bit surprised to discover that it is packed full

of color photos and stories which isnt transferred

over to the printed version. The image to the

right should demonstrate just what is lost between

the printed and digital version.

Once the issue is complete, you will receive aTopeka Rotary Club eNews notifying you that the

issue is ready. Simply click on the link in the email

and you can view the newsletter immediately,

not when you finally receive it in the mail.

Recycling to raise funds

Spring cleaning for a worthy cause? Thats the thinking of the Rotary Club of Wadown, Ontario, Canada, which raised more than US$7,000 by recycling old home

appliances, pots and pans, and more during a scrap metal drive in April.

Hundreds of people in their cars and trucks dropped off items, totaling about 47 t

and filling about 16 bins, says Wendy Hickey, a member of the club. Donations

ranged from washers, dryers, and stoves to cookie sheets and muffin tins to old

rusted tires.

Microwaves, anything that has metal in it, she explains. We just rub our hands together when someone comes in wit

truckload of old aluminum siding. Its quite profitable. This is good news for Hickey and her fellow Rotarians. The mone

raised goes to support the clubs projects, especially youth programs.

It was the third year for the project, the brainchild of longtime club member Jack Harris. He had become familiar with t

scrap metal industry through his work, Hickey explains, and thought a drive could be a way for the club to raise money

for its community and international projects throughout the year. The club worked with Thomson Metal & Disposal, a

scrap metal company based in nearby Burlington.

I bet 80 percent of our Rotary club was out there, Hickey says. Everybody comes out, whether theyre able to do an(Continued on pag

By Diana Schoberg

Rotary International News - 1 July 2008

6


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Photos courtesy of Rotary International

RI President Stresses DiversityBy Arnold R. Grahl

Rotary International News - 2 July 2008

Rotary International President

Dong Kurn Lee stressed that a

diverse Rotary is a strong Rotary

during a visit to the Rotary Club

of Chicago on 1 July.

As part of a long-standing tradi-

tion for RI presidents, Lee ad-

dressed members of the Chi-

cago club, the birthplace of Ro-

tary, as one of his first official

acts. He stressed the need to

bring in new leadership to take

over for the old as part of the

2008-09 RI theme, Make Dreams

Real.

"Every Rotarian that we bring

into our clubs helps to Make

Dreams Real," Lee said, to a

packed second-floor room in the

elegant Union League Club in

downtown Chicago. "Every sin-

gle one is another pair of hands,

and another mind, and another

heart to do Rotarys work."Lee called on every district to

increase membership by 10 per-

cent and to add two clubs dur-

ing this Rotary year.

"If we do not bring in younger

members, we will miss out on a

great deal of energy and exper-

tise," he added. "And we will not

be training a new generation of

members to become club presi-

dents, district governors, and

senior RI leaders in the years to

come."

Lee said the membership of a

healthy Rotary club is made up

of men and women of different

ages, vocations, professions,

skills, and talents. A club that is

not diversified is less able to con-

duct ambitious projects and has

a narrower range of resources.

As part of the push for growth,

Lee asked Rotarians to be crea-

tive in promoting membership

and to expand their quest for

new members.

"There are many qualified profes-

sionals who may simply be over-

looked because their professionsare not typical for Rotary mem-

bers," he said.

At the International Assembly in

January, Lee unveiled the 2008-

09 theme and service emphases,

urging Rotarians to become in

volved in clean water, literacy

and health and hunger project

aimed at reducing child mortal

ity. He also encouraged them to

contribute to Rotarys US$100 Mil

lion Challenge to eradicate po

lio.

"We will Make Dreams Real by

giving children hope and a

chance at a future," Lee said.

Chicago club member Ruth Ann

Watkins said it is fitting for the

new RI president to begin hiyear at the club.

"Rotary started here. It carries his

torical significance and contin

ues our focus on the future," Wat

kins said.

Club president Arol Augsburger

who was inducted during the

meeting, said Lees remarks hi

all the right notes. He also

praised Lees theme choice: "We

reach a much broader audi

ence, and it broadens ou

sphere of influence to promote

diversity."


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Of the things we think, say or do:

Is it the TRUTH?

Is it FAIR to all concerned?

Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?

Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?"

What does Rotary Do?

The next time you are asked what

our club does, remember all the

wonderful projects we have

helped make a reality. Here are

several of those projects:

Christmas in April

Help with TARC Winter Wonderland

Dictionaries in School

Dental Screenings

Scholarships for Washburn Students

Florence Crittenden Services

RYLA

Vocational Day for Junior High

Sponsor Ambassadorial Scholars

Christmas Bureau

Sponsor East Avondale Activities

Polio Reconstructive Surgery

India

Cataract SurgeryPakistan

Ambulance ProjectBangladesh

Medical TeamPanama

Shelter Box

Books for Peace Corp Volunteers

And Much, Much More

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June Minutes of the Board of Directors

Secretarys Report: Anita moved to approve May minutes,

Blanche seconded, passed.

Treasurers Report: Kirk. reviewed the financial reports.

Blanche moved, Joy seconded to accept them as pre-

sented. Passed.

May 31 Membership: 204

New Member Nominations: John Pinegar (reinstated), Kim

Gronniger, Alvin moved to approve, Terry seconded,

passed.

Resignations:Wendell Grahams resignation will be de-

ferred to July meeting.

Board Meeting Schedule: for 2008-09 will remain the sec-

ond Wednesday of each month.

Ybarra Board Vacancy: Joan moved, Gordon seconded,

to approve Susan Mauch for this positon, passed.

Shelter Box Project: Funds are available, we will proceed

with the purchase of one.

Bangladesh Project Application: We are awaiting word

from Dr. Sufi.

District Governor Visit: to our club will be July 31, reports are

due to Ruth on July 15.

District Goals/Events: Kirk reviewed, a schedule of district

events was available to board members.Meeting adjourned, next meeting will be July 9, 2008.

Respectfully submitted,

John Wall, Secretary


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By Barbara Wiggins

Photos by Ann Palmer

The Downtown Topeka Rotary Club recognized retiring Board

Members Terry Diebolt, Anita Wolgast and Mike Welch at the

Topeka Rotary Club Annual Banquet. The club also honored six-

teen members who are celebrating milestone anniversaries be-

tween twenty and fifty-five years.

Long-time member Eldon

Sloan was recognized for mak-

ing a $10,000 contribution to

Polio Plus and Ken Gotewiel

was recognized as President

Joan Wagnons first-ever

Rotarian of the Year.

Rotarians were also recog-

nized for perfect attendance

for the past calendar year.

The Club also recognized two

members of the Topeka Community who exemplify the Rotary motto of Service Abo

Self. This year, two individuals received Honorary Paul Harris Fellowships. Pauline Jo

son (pictured) and Dale Cushinberry were this years awardees. Cushinberry is the

principal at Highland Park High School and Johnson is a community volunteer who

helps organize the annual Topeka Thanksgiving dinner.

Club Celebrates Achievements with Year-End Banquet

Ken Grotewiel was honored by President Joan Wagnon as the

Rotarian of the Year for the Topeka Rotary Club for his outstanding

work throughout the year.

Recognized for years of service

John C. Brier 55 years

Robert J. Groff 50 years

Donald D. McRae 45 years

Alan W. Rolley 45 years

Richard A. Crawford 40 years

Douglas K. Jernigan 35 years

Harry J. Briscoe 35 years

William T. Bryan 25 years

Thomas W. Gorrell 25 years

Michael A. Hall 25 years

Wayne Probasco 25 years

Leslie E. Krull 25 years

William A. Neiswanger 20 years

Donald R. Paxon 20 years

Richard D. Ross 20 years

Robert B. Thorn 20 years

Recognized for Perfect

Attendance

Roger Aeschliman

Jim Blackburn

Larry Dimmitt

Al Dvorak

Gary Ely

Webb Garlinghouse

Mike Locke

Joy Moser

Blanche Parks

Stan Teeter

Terry Wages

Joan Wagnon

John Wall

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Dear fellow Rotarians,

The beginning of the Rotary year is always an

exciting time, with new club and district offi-

cers, a new theme to work with, and a re-

newed sense of purpose for our service pro-

jects. The beginning of this particular Rotary

year is, of course, especially exciting for me as

I look forward to meeting Rotarians through-

out the world and seeing firsthand the many

remarkable projects you are carrying out.

In planning how your club, and each one of

you, canMake Dreams Real this year, I ask

you to consider the millions of children who

never even have the chance to dream. Every

day, more than 26,000 children under the age

of five die from preventable causes. As ap-

palling as that number is, it is a decrease from

the figure of 30,000 that first caught my atten-

tion and spurred me to bring this matter of

grave concern to Rotarians.

UNICEFs State of the Worlds Children 2008report states that by 2006, the most recent year for

which firm estimates are available, the annual number of child deaths globally fell below 10 mil-

lion, to 9.7 million, for the first time since records began. I would guess that some of the im-

provement in child survival rates can be directly attributed to Rotary projects that have been

successfully addressing problems related to health, hunger, water, and literacy for a number of

years now. So I asked myself: What would happen if 1.2 million Rotarians focused their serviceefforts on keeping even more children alive?

I think we already know some of the answers. If Rotarians provide insecticide-treated bed nets,

fewer children will succumb to malaria. If we dig wells and address sanitation problems, more

children will have clean water to drink and more hygienic surroundings. And if Rotary clubs carry

out effective nutrition projects, we can save some of the almost five million children who die

each year from undernourishment.

UNICEF estimates that fully two-thirds of the 9.7 million deaths in 2006 were preventable. With Ro-

tarians working to provide vaccines, oral rehydration therapies, accessible health care for moth-

ers and newborns, and other relatively simple interventions, Im confident that many more ba-

bies will not only survive but go on to live healthy, productive lives. LetsMake Dreams Real bygiving these children the chance to grow up and have dreams of their own.

Dong Kurn (D.K.) Lee

President, Rotary International


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physical labor or they come out for moral support. Its a nice community day.

Rotarians and friends of Rotarians alike enjoyed the eventHickey says that several community members have show

up the past few years just to pitch in and help out.

In addition to the scrap metal drive, the club hosted a bicycle swap at the event. More than 100 bicycles were do-

nated. The most dilapidated ones were recycled with the rest of the metal, while community members were able to

take home the others for a small donation.

(Continued from page 6)

ShelterBox Helps in Myanmar1050 boxes delivered to Myanmar with support of Rotary clubs worldwide

EVANSTON, Ill. (May 19, 2008) - Almost two

weeks after Cyclone Nargis devasted the delta

region of Myanmar, an aid

flight carrying 1,050 containers of relief sup-

plies arrived from the United King-

dom Friday morning at the Yangon airport.

The plane was chartered by Cornwall-based

charity ShelterBox, a grassroots disaster relief or-

ganization supported by Rotary clubs around

the world. ShelterBox was one of the first outside

relief organization to be allowed into the coun-

try, where the powerful May 3 cyclone killed

more than 77,738 people with 55,917 others

missing, according to Burmese state media.

On board of the DC-10 plane were two Ameri-

can volunteers to support the four ShelterBox

response team members from the UK who have

been in Yangon since May 8 distributing the ini-

tial shipment of 644 boxes containing tents, mos-

quito nets, tools, water purifying tablets and

other essential aid items. The Americans are Pat-

rick Olson, a college textbook publisher and

member of the Rotary Club of Plymouth, Michi-gan; and David Eby, a property appraiser from

Brentwood, Tenn.

Working with local authorities, the team

unloaded the containers onto trucks for trans-

port to the outlying Irrawaddy Delta region,

where the need is the greatest. Each ShelterBox

container is equipped to help a family of 10 sur-

vive for six

months.

"500 boxes, plus50 blue (water

purification kit)

boxes are

planned to be

distributed to

Ngaputaw,

Haigyi Island, in

the Southwest Delta region, 250 boxes to La-

butta Delta and 250 to bogale," team leader

Ian Neal said from Yangon.

Neal, a Cornish firefighter, said over the last

week his team worked closely with local authori-

ties in Yangon to get the supplies into the af-

fected area. The ShelterBox crew also held "train

the trainer" sessions to teach Burmese fire and

emergency officers how to utilize the Shelterbox

contents and set up the tents.

Shelterbox started in 2001 as a modest project

by the Rotary Club of Helston-Lizard, England,

and quickly garnered support among Rotaryclubs worldwide. To date Shelterbox has raised

$29 million and delivered aid to 40 countries in

response to more than 70 disasters. Each con-

tainer costs $1,000 to sponsor. Rotary clubs pro-

vide more than half of the charity's funding.

Visit www.shelterbox.org for more information.

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http://www.shelterbox.org/http://www.shelterbox.org/


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Have a story idea to share? The new Rotopeka is looking for stories, memberachievements and local leaders who are promoting the Rotary Four Way Test.

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John Pinegar Topeka