QUEST
MAGAZINE
Edition 04 - NOVEMBER 2017
Rotary Foundation Month DISTRICT 6930
November 2017 * Quest Magazine
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CONTENT
Quest Rotary District 6930
The Official District Magazine
Overcoming obstacles to polio eradication in Pakistan
Page 9 In Guatemala, education for women is a privilege
Page 11
Promote Rotary! Distribute this magazine to your place of business, family and friends.
Spread the word!
Editor
Dini Heizer
Graphic Designer
Andre Heizer
Contributors
David Freudenberg Gene Burkett
NEW INTERACT CLUB
Page 15 October has been an exciting month for the Rotaract Club of FAU Page 33 & 34
Published by:
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Julia Babbitt Debbie Avery Donna Keys Angelica Blakely Donna Gaiser Jon Kaye Kenyetta Haywood Cynthia Scherpf Debbie Donnelly McLay Gabriela Heizer
CONTACT: rotaryquestmagazine@gmail.com Quest Magazine * Edition 04
GOVERNOR MESSAGE Making a Difference The theme for Rotary 2017-2018 has a special meaning for all Rotarians throughout the world. RI President Ian Riseley has put forth a special challenge to become more involved in not only Rotary, but also your own community. “Through Rotary, we are Making a Difference in the world, and the more involved we become, the more of a difference Rotary makes to each of us. Rotary challenges us to become better people: to become ambitious in the ways that matter, to strive for higher goals, and to incorporate “Service Above Self” into our daily lives.” District 6930 has special challenges ahead as we incorporate the results of last year’s Council on Legislation that opened the door to new opportunities in making each club more accessible to new and existing members. There are some new requirements for each club, including the fact that the Treasurer MUST be a member of the Board of the club. This is to incorporate the Rotary International Errors & Omissions Policy into each club, for the protection of all of us. With over 35,000 clubs there could be problems somewhere. Each club is now required to provide access to board meeting minutes to every club member within 60 days of the board meeting. This is the desire to provide transparency and openness. This year we will be adding the object of attacking the horrible disease of Alzheimer’s to our district objective. Every one of us has or will be subjected to this disease through close family or acquaintances. While other diseases such as cancer and heart disease are seeing a decline, Azheimer’s is growing in impact at an alarming rate. We will be joining with the Rotary Coins for Alzheimer’s Research Trust (CART) program to help find a cure. You should not be limited by this one program and I encourage each club to participate in the attack on this disease in one form or another. Josh the Otter was introduced to Rotary by our own member Jim Underwood and has become a major program to protect children from the biggest cause of death to children under the age of 5 years. We have the tools and materials to allow each club to launch this project in their own community. It is not an easy result to measure, but I believe we will see an impact in Florida in the next few years. We will end the year for our District with the most exciting District Conference in the history of District 6930. The conference will be aboard the Royal Caribbean Empress of the Seas from June 2-6, 2018. We are joining with District 6950 to do a joint conference that will begin the cruise in Tampa and spending a day in Havana Cuba. We will be the first group of Rotarians to visit Havana in almost 60 years. What an exciting experience this will be. And finally, next year’s Rotary Convention will be in Toronto, Canada June 23-25, 2018. Let’s Make a Difference!
Dave Freudenberg
District Governos 2017-2018 November 2017 * Quest Magazine
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CALENDAR
November Rotary Foundation Month
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DISTRICT LEADERSHIP District Governor
David Freudenberg (Dave & Pat) Office: Club: Boca Raton Downtown
DG-Elect
Julia Babbitt (Jula & Clint) Office: Club: Indialantic
DG-Nominee
Donna Marie Gaiser (Donna & Carl) Office: Club: Okeechobee
iPDG
Eric Gordon (Eric) Office: 561-308-9305 Club: Royal Palm Beach
District Secretary
Deborah Freudenberg (Deborah & Mike) Office: 561-299-1429 Club: Boca Raton Downtown
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District Treasurer
Terri Marie Wescott (Terri) Office: 561-270-8800 Club: Boca Raton Downtown
Assistant District Governor (Area 1)
Stanley M. Fertel (Stan & Charna) Office: Club: Boca Raton Sunrise
Grants Committee Chair
Eugene B. Burkett (Gene & Linda) Office: 321-631-0383 Club: Merritt Island
Vocational Service Chair
Gregory A. Reader (Greg) Office: Club: Vero Beach Sunrise
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PolioPlus Chair
Frances Virgin Owen (Betsy & Mike) Office: Club: Delray Beach
Nominating Committee Chair
Louis Venuti (Louis & Loretta) Office: 321-286-7475 Club: Titusville Rotary Club
Young Professionals
Michael F. Walstrom (Michael) Office: Club: Boca Raton Downtown Literacy TF Chair
Gay S. Voss (Gay)
Office: Club: Boynton Beach-Lantana Newsletter Editor
Dini Mancebo Heizer (Dini Heizer) Office: Club: Boca Raton West
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CLUB DIRECTORY
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INTERNATIONAL Overcoming obstacles to polio eradication in Pakistan
A Rotary volunteer administers polio drops to a child missed by earlier rounds in Pakistan. “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” Henry Ford When I first joined Pakistan’s PolioPlus Committee (PNPPC) as a manager close to eight years ago, polio eradication seemed within our reach. I used the opportunity to study poliomyelitis beyond just perceiving it as “a crippling disease.” I researched the causes and consequences; the types of polio virus; modes of prevention; and how elusive the virus can be given the right conditions. Then in 2012, the dynamics of my country changed. We were faced with
November 2017 * Quest Magazine
hostile militants, who refused to allow polio teams to vaccinate children in their territory. Our front line workers were regularly targeted for their work during campaigns. Children were deprived of polio vaccine in several regions occupied by the militants making it inaccessible and hard to reach. Common myths and misconceptions were rife in most backward communities. Our biggest hurdle was “how do we change their mindset,” while they eyed us with suspicion and disdain. Cont. page 10
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By Alina A. Visram, manager, Pakistan National PolioPlus Committee
We expanded our motley crew to a larger team. Together we worked closely with our polio partners to devise strategies and innovative approaches to overcome the odds; through placing Resource Centers in high risk districts; targeting nomads and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) through Permanent Transit Posts (PTPs); creating awareness in illiterate communities through speaking books; conducting workshops with enlightened religious clerics; and encouraging Rotary clubs to hold health camps in impoverished districts. Meanwhile, polio cases spiraled across the country and in 2014 we reported over 300 cases of the wild poliovirus. In the years that followed, we worked with unwavering diligence and commitment in collaboration with the government of Pakistan to restrict polio transmission. Today, we have only five cases of polio stemming from the wild virus and only 11 globally, as of the end of September. World Polio Day 24 October was established by Rotary International to commemorate the birth of Jonas Salk, who led the first team to develop a vaccine against poliomyelitis. It marks the long and arduous journey all endemic countries have struggled against, to eradicate polio. The last mile is the hardest, but we are so close to the finish line.
Alina Visram bonds with the community in Pakistan. 10
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By Wendy Pacay, A Rotary Peace Fellow at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
In Guatemala, education
for women is a privilege
When I was a child, I really enjoyed school. I lived in a small town surrounded by the rainforest. Meeting with my friends at school, playing with them, and learning from them are among my best memories. I had a lot of curiosity that drove me to discover new things from books and from my teachers. It was easy to do my homework because I liked it so much.
not have adequate teaching materials. Many children – especially rural and indigenous children – are forced to drop out of school to help support their families or because they are unable to afford the cost of uniforms, books, supplies and transportation. Recruiting and retaining quality teachers in rural schools is a significant challenge.
This year, as I study at the Rotary Peace Center at the University of Chulalongkorn in Bangkok, Thailand, my elementary school celebrates its 100th anniversary. While, I won’t be there because of my studies, being at the Peace Centers is itself a blessing.
When I got the email from The Rotary Foundation saying I had been accepted into the Rotary Peace Centers program, I was amazed and happy. I was a little sad knowing I would miss the 100 year celebration, but knew I needed to take advantage of this opportunity, which is a blessing because I am the first Guatemalan woman to attend this special program at the University in Thailand.
For a Guatemalan woman to attend school, even at the elementary level, is not easy. My grandmother and mother-in-law did not go to school and my I am still as restless to other grandmother only learn as when I was a attended through sixth child. Education is all grade. Despite primary about discovering new education being comthings. We learn not pulsory and provided only from reading but Children at the elementary school for free by the governby listening to teachers in Carcha, Guatemala. ment, the average years and our classmates. Here of school attended by women is 4.1 years. Close to 25 at Chulalongkorn, my classmates are from all backpercent of the population is illiterate, with rates more grounds and cultures, representing 20 different counthan 60 percent in the indigenous population. tries. When I arrived in Bangkok and learned that the Rotary Foundation was also celebrating its 100th Although school enrollment rates and first grade year, I immediately thought this is no coincidence. completion rates have been increasing in recent years, My grade school and this great Foundation are both it is still the privileged who have access to education. sharing important milestones at the same time. Of the 2 million children in Guatemala that do not attend school, the majority are indigenous girls living in When I return to Guatemala, I will continue fighting rural areas. In fact, over half of the Guatemalan popufor human rights there, especially for girls and womlation is indigenous. Indigenous girls in Guatemala en to have access to quality education. I am thankful are among the country’s most disadvantaged group to the Rotary Foundation for this opportunity and with limited schooling, early marriage, frequent childI will do my best to share my knowledge with other bearing, and chronic poverty. Guatemalans so we can be more strategic in resolving conflicts. Many classrooms, especially in rural Guatemala, do
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DISTRICT District Grant Seminar NEW LOCATION The location for the District Grant Semiar scheduled for November 4 has changed due to hurricane damage at the facility were scheduled to use.
The new location is: Directions to the Main Campus From I-95, take exit 129 at Fort Pierce. From the Florida Turnpike, take Fort Pierce exit (Okeechobee Road): Travel east on State Road 70 (Okeechobee Road). Stay in the right lane as Okeechobee Road forks into Virginia Avenue. Turn right at the intersection of Virginia Avenue and 35th Street ~ go past H building to next parking lot entrance - V building (Kight Center) is ahead. If
Indian River State College Main Campus 3209 Virginia Ave. Fort Pierce, FL 34981
you have not signed up to attend
you may do so by clicking on the link below:
Register NOW for Rotary Foundation Grants Seminar or send your regrets that you cannot attend by clicking here. Yours in Rotary Service,
Gene Burkett
Rotary District 6930 District Grant Chair 2017-2018 Past District Governor 2015-2016 Email: gburkett1017@gmail.com November 2017 * Quest Magazine
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The District 6930 Foundation team wants to make sure your club applies for and receives all funds they are entitled to for funding projects in your community and for “doing good in the world�. To qualify for these funds each club is required to select a minimum of one club member to attend this mandatory seminar; I strongly recommend that the club choose an alternate representative as well. Of course, I encourage every member of every club wanting to learn more about District and Global Grants and the process to take advantage of this opportunity and join us on November 4th in Vero Beach. Registration is open now on the DACdb calendar. Please feel free to register today. 14
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NEW INTERACT CLUB! November 2017 * Quest Magazine
Saturday Oct 7th, The newly formed Rotary Interact Club stopped by St. Francis Manor on 20th Ave in Vero Beach, to do some badly needed yard work...Club members present where
* Aurea England * James Regan * Brooke Seibert * Reagan Gibbons * Jennifer Schelli * Emily West * Jason West These 7 members did some raking , weeding, trimming and removing of dead plants...Watch for more from this energetic youth group. Interact is a Rotary club for high school age students. The Vero Beach High School club is sponsored by the Vero Beach and the Sunrise Rotary clubs. What is Interact? Interact is a Rotary-sponsored service club for young people. It gives young people, mainly high school students, an opportunity to participate in fun and meaningful service projects. 15
ROTARY LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE - RLI District 6930’s RLI was presented at the Mae Volen Center in Boca Raton on October 21, 2107
Class 1 Pictured l-r are: Gabriela Heizer, FAU Rotoract, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Boca Raton; Francis Lamus of the Palm Beach School system, sponsored by the Rotary Club of The Northern Palm Beaches; Cindy Panigal, Rotary Club of Vero Beach Sunrise; Connie Cox, Rotary Club of Port St. Lucie; and Allen Konis, Rotary Club of Boca Raton Downtown. (Not pictured: Rivka Aberbukh, Rotoract FAU, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Boca Raton; Linda Diane Pisacano, Rotary Club of Viera; Gerry Purdy, Rotary Club of Royal Palm Beach; and John Reid, Rotary Club of Singer Island) Congratulations!
Class 2 Pictured l-r are: Stuart Kennedy, Rotary Club of Vero Beach; Penny Morey, Rotary Club of Boca Raton Downtown; Mike Kanuka, Rotary Club of Vero Beach; Els Van Engelenburg, Rotary Club of Titusville Sunrise; John Diehl, Rotary Club of Pompano Beach—Lighthouse; Des Romm, Rotary Club of Royal Palm Beach; and Joseph Riopel, Rotary Club of Boca Raton Sunset. (Not pictured is Bruce Irwin, Rotary Club of Stuart, and Kira Honse, Rotary Club of Bero Beach Sunrise.)
Class 3
Pictured l-r are Roger Wilf, Rotary Club of Viera; Steve Kelley, Rotary Club of Vero Beach Sunrise; Claudia McCaskill, Rotary Club of Port St. Lucie; Tony Walker, the Rotary Club of Belle Glade; and Kelly Davis of the Rotary Club of The Northern Palm Beaches. Congratulations! (Not pictured is Amy Sullivan, Rotary Club of Melbourne Beach.)
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ROTARY CLUBS
SEBASTIAN
ShrimpFest & Craft Brew Hullabaloo March 16, 17 and 18, 2018 Riverview Park, Sebastian, Fl It's ShrimpFest time again! New Location! New Format! Same great Florida Shrimp and Craft Beer! Three days of Shrimp, Craft Brews, Live Music, Vendors and Kids Events! The ShrimpFest & Craft Brew Hullabaloo has a new venue this year: Riverview Park, US Hwy 1 & CR 512, Sebastian, Florida. Local restaurants and organizations will compete for the bragging rights to the winning recipe and the coveted "Third Annual Golden Shrimp Award". Everyone attending the festival can vote for their favorite dish. Allergic to seafood? The kids don't like shrimp? Don't let that stop you from enjoying a great weekend as pizza and other foods will be available. The event features FREE entry and parking, live music, exciting kids' activities, loads of vendors and more. Pareidolia Brewing Company of Sebastian has joined forces with over 15 Florida brewers and home brewers who will be bringing their best brews for the Craft Beer Tasting on Saturday from 1:00 to 4:00. Entry to the festival is free but the Craft Brew Tasting is $35 at the door, presales are $30 at eventbrite.com. Summer Crush Vineyard & Winery of Ft. Pierce will delight you with their selection of wine during the entire weekend. The festival begins on Friday, March 16th, with our pre-St. Patty's Day party at 3:00 pm with food, Irish music, and brew until 9:00 pm. Saturday , March 17th, the vendors open early at 9:00 am, beer sales start at 10:00 and food sales at 11:00. The Craft Beer Tasting is from 1:00 to 4:00. Enjoy the Motorcycle Show and Ride-in on Saturday from 12:00 to 5:00. Live music, beer and food will flow until 9:00pm. Kids events will be sponsored by Home Depot. Sunday, March 18th, the vendors open again at 9:00 am, beer sales at 10:00 and Food at 11:00, music and kids events all day to 5:00 pm. Enjoy a special Car Show on Sunday from 10:00 to 2:00. The ShrimpFest & Craft Brew Hullabaloo is a joint effort of the Rotary Club of Sebastian and the Fellsmere Exchange Club and is sponsored by the City of Sebastian. Net proceeds raised from the event will benefit local youth sports teams, the prevention of child abuse and participating non-profit organizations throughout North Indian River County. We gratefully acknowledge a new sponsor, Dale Sorensen Real Estate, and a returning sponsor, J.J. Taylor Distributing, and invite others to help sponsor this worthy fundraiser. For more information send us an email or check out our website.
Info@ShrimpFestFL.com www.ShrimpFestFL.com November 2017 * Quest Magazine
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ShrimpFest 2017
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BOCA RATON WEST
The Power of Giving Can Create Miracles In December of 2016, our fellow Rotarian from Rotary Club of Boca Raton West, Claudia Fehribach, brought to our attention that she had visited a shelter for victims of domestic abuse in our area, and that it needed some assistance; she was impressed to see how organized they are and how important their contribution is to our community. She also learned that “abuse” doesn’t have a face and that sometimes it can happen to the neighbor you wave at every day. During her visit, which was close to the holidays, someone commented to her that it had been a long time since someone gave them a gift. With that Claudia decided to propose to our Rotary Club a campaign to collect about 80 purses filled with all sorts of presents, such as perfume, make up, jewelry, scarves etc., Our rotary club made a video about the project and posted it on Facebook. The response from women in the Brazilian community was amazing! The project was completed in a very short time and just before Christmas we delivered their gifts. But the real beauty of this project turned out to be quite other than we had imagined. One night, during the campaign, someone contacted her on Facebook and told her that she had seen the posts about the fundraising for the shelter; she related that she had taken a chance and had just escaped from her husband. She had taken only a few items of clothing and was aimlessly driving about with her 15 year old son. She was desperate for help. That night, in only about two hours, we were able to secure a place for her and her son. I had no idea that a simple project could save someone’s life. The next day she called me again to thank me and said that her son wanted to talk to me. He grabbed the phone and told me “I thought the world was an awful place until my mom talked to you last night. It was our first peaceful night. Thank you. Around the beginning of June, I learned that The Junior League of Boca Raton was going to host its 30th Annual “Woman Volunteer of the Year” award luncheon on Thursday, October 5, 2017 at Boca Raton Resort & Club to recognize women volunteers for their outstanding dedication and contributions to their non-profit organizations. Immediately I logged in to the site and decided to appoint Claudia to represent all of us, all the women in Rotary who have been performing good services for their communities since 1987. As Rotarians we can open up new horizons through the power of our network. By spending only a few hours of our time we are able to connect with an amazing network of friends to accomplish great things. We can inspire other women around the globe to be strong and feel good about themselves. In 2013 Anne L. Matthews begins her term as the first woman to serve as RI vice president, and you can be the next one!
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WEST PALM BEACH
West Palm Beach Rotary Club’s Charity Golf Invitational Raised $50,000 On October 6, 2017, the Club raised $50,000 at the event at Mayacoo Lakes Country Club. Funds raised will support many service projects helping 19 schools, students, and families in West Palm Beach. Co-Chairpersons Brewster Cole and Jeff Knight led this successful event. 100 people enjoyed great golf, lunch buffet, silent auction, cocktails, dinner buffet, and awards.
Guests had a great time!
Jacob Webb, WPB Rotary Club President and Co-Chairpersons Brewster Cole and Jeff Knight
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Orchid Island
October Student of the Month
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Honoring our extraordinary Rotary Club of Orchid I sland October Student of the Month, Sana Shareef of The St. Edward's School. Photographed here with President Mike Hickey
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Boynton Beach/Lantana
The Boynton Beach/Lantana Rotary Club was honored to have our member, Mr. Mal Behl as our guest speaker. He spoke about his long time involvement as a Red Cross volunteer and his experience during the recovery efforts of Hurricane Irma. We are proud of all you do for your community Mal
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BOCA RATON SUNSET
PAL HALF MARATHON AND 5K RUN NOV 5, 2017
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Club Secretary Jerry Leitherer kicked off our Boca Raton Police Athletic League (PAL) project for 2017: the 17th annual half marathon and 5K Run/Walk will take place at the Spanish River Park, Boca Raton, November 5, 2017 at 6:30 am. Our club is seeking sponsors for the event and Jerry passed out brochures and sponsor contracts expecting sponsors to be identified within the next couple of weeks to get their logos in the racer application forms. The race usually has about 800- 1,000 participants. Quest Magazine * Edition 04
WEST PALM BEACH
West Palm Beach Rotary Club’s Dictionary Project Helps 2,400 Students
The West Palm Beach Rotary Club’s 13th Dictionary Project was a tremendous success! Forty Club members had a great time hand-delivering unique dictionaries to 2,400 third graders at 19 elementary schools. Everyone enjoyed the Club’s Dictionary Project. Club members had a heart-warming meeting with students. They encouraged students to use the dictionaries to help their academic success. Students identified many ways that their dictionaries will benefit them in classes and life. Also, the fact that students benefit from these dictionaries beyond the 3rd grade was expressed by many people. An administrator said “my children received dictionaries from the WPB Rotary Club in Grade 3. They used their dictionaries in grades 3-12 and they took them to college.” These dictionaries contain the following diverse information: word definitions, history, solar system, multiplication chart, key facts about the 50 states, sign language, and much more! One of the unique items in the dictionary is “The Longest Word in the English Language,” (a protein) which contains 1,909 letters – yes, one thousand, nine hundred and nine LETTERS! This is always a source of intrigue and amazement for students. Students, principals, and teachers were very appreciative of the Club’s Dictionary Project!
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Indian River
World Polio Day in Indian River County FLorida
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The 5 Indian River County Rotary Clubs got together on October 7th to do a Polio Plus fundraiser, Oktoberfest. 185 of them partied, talked Rotary, ate German food, wore costumes, drank beer from German Steins, had a contest or two, drank beer, ate German Tortes, bid on community donated items...and generally had a good time all to raise money and awareness of Polio Plus. The final number is not in yet but it is over $11,000 and
with the Gates match that is $22,000 Plus. On World Polio Day at the Oceanside Rotary Club Vero Beach, a BIG CHECK was presented to District Governor Dave Freudenberg by Oceanside President Elaine Jones, AG and Sebastian Club Marc GinGras, Sebastian President Kim Jones, Past District Governor and Sunrise Rotary Vero Beach club member Laile Fairbairn. Quest Magazine * Edition 04
Vero Beach Sunrise
Paul Dritenbas Environmental Scholarship Awarded
Sunrise Rotary Vero Beach added an environmental scholarship this year (to the growing list they give out), named after late Sunrise Rotary member, Paul Dritenbas. Paul passed away earlier this year from his battle with cancer. Paul was instrumental in establishing the Lagoon Oyster Mat project that the ARC is involved with, as well as other area organizations. He also designed buoys that withstand storm surges, which currently mark and protect submerged sea grass areas in the Indian River Lagoon, known as the Rotary Initiative for Submerged Seagrass Awareness (RISSA). Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute was chosen to award the scholarship, and search for worthy candidates. The applications were reviewed and scored by the Sunrise Rotary Scholarship Committee, which included Paul’s wife, Cathy. Breanna DeGroot, the 2017 recipient of the Paul Dritenbas Memorial Scholarship, is a master’s student at Florida Atlantic University working in Dr. Matthew Ajemian’s Fisheries Ecology and Conservation Laboratory at FAU’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute. Her project focuses on the movement and habitat use of spotted eagle rays (Aetobatus narinari) in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL). The spotted eagle ray is a relatively common and large charismatic species of stingray that is protected throughout Florida. Despite these characteristics, very little is
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known about the biology and ecology of this species in the IRL. Elsewhere, spotted eagle rays are known to consume mollusks such as clams and conchs, which may cause negative interactions with commercial shellfish operations. The Sebastian region of the IRL is one of the last remaining hard clam lease areas along Florida’s east coast, where spotted eagle rays are purportedly common. However, the degree to which they interact with these operations has yet to be examined. The persistence of the spotted eagle ray and our ability to assess potential interactions with clamming industry in the IRL depends on a strong scientific understanding of the species’ movement ecology. Previous studies suggest spotted eagle rays are sensitive to major environmental changes such as algal blooms or storm events; however, it is still unclear at what degree these environmental changes affect movement. Thus, an equally important goal is understanding the effects on anthropogenic factors (altered freshwater flow, salinity changes, silt deposits from the St. John’s River discharges) have on the distribution of this protected species. To study the movement of spotted eagle rays, Breanna is using a technique known as acoustic telemetry. In short, animals are fitted with transmitters bearing a unique identification number that is detected by a stationary underwater receiver. When within a few hundred yards of the receiver, the unique code of the transmitter is recorded, along with the date and time. These acoustic telemetry methods can provide information on habitats used by spotted eagle rays and insights to the potential impact freshwater discharges have on this highly mobile species within the southern and central IRL. This information will be vital to informing policy makers of the impacts of altered freshwater flow on the IRL biological community, and provide data to help effectively manage the protected spotted eagle ray. This scholarship will be funded in the future through proceeds of the Florida Craft Brew and Wing Fest, of which Mr. Dritenbas was the founding member. The 7th Annual Florida Craft Brew and Wing Fest will be held February 17, 2018 at Royal Palm Park in Vero Beach. The Vero Beach Sunrise Foundation is the charitable arm of the Rotary Club of Vero Beach Sunrise, and with help from members has donated $277,613 in the past 5 years. For more information see www.sunriserotaryverobeach.org or call the 2017-18 President Dr. Stephen Kepley at 772-633-8436, or kepley@aol.com.
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World Polio Day
BOCA RATON WEST
We will be starting the campaign Polio Plus at a Foundation called "Let's Speak Portuguese". This foundation teaches kids to speak and learn the Brazilian culture, for free. They were born in the United States and do not speak portuguese. The idea is to keep the language and culture in those kids. We have around 300 kids and we started to bring awareness about Polio and we collected money for about 3 months to talk about this terrible disease. When this campaign finishes, we will have a contest and give gifts to the kids and the money we collected will go to the Rotary Foundation for Polio Plus. This is amazing because we plant an awareness about this disease in each kids. The costume “Zé Gotinha” represents a drop (in this case, a drop of vaccine). It is typically used in Brazil to represent this campaign.
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DOWNTOWN BOCA RATON
Boca Raton Mayors Ball
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Returning as the official gala season opener for Boca Raton, more than 400 guests dined and danced the night away at the third annual Boca Raton Mayors Ball presented by the Rotary Club Downtown Boca Raton in celebration of the City’s
long, rich history. In addition to honoring the elected officials who exemplify Rotary International’s motto, ‘Service Above Self ’ and recognize the City’s visionaries who have elevated the community, the evening raised more than $125,000 for the Club’s “Service Above Self ” Grant Program that supports the health and wellness needs of the nonprofits serving Boca Raton and Rotary International’s program to eradicate polio. “Chance to Win proceeds will be donated to Hurricane Ima relief. This year’s coveted George Long Prism Awards were pre-
sented to philanthropist Bobby Campbell, Florida Atlantic University and Kaufman Lynn Construction. Upon receiving his George Long Award, philanthropist Bobby Campbell, was so moved by the warm hometown camaraderie and spirit in the room that he pledged a generous donation of $50,000 to the Rotary Club Downtown Boca Raton grant program during his acceptance speech. Quest Magazine * Edition 04
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FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY
ROTARACT CLUBS
October has been an exciting month for the Rotaract Club of FAU! We: Grew our membership 100%
We currently have 25 active members at our club. This increase has happened simply by word of mouth! People like what they see and tell their friends. Social Media is also a huge help on a college campus because everyone is always on it. We constantly remind our members of meetings and upcoming events. We also share all the photos of what’s going on in the club, this makes people want to get involved!
Educated our members on Rotary International Our first two meetings of the semester were informational meetings. We taught the members what Rotary International is and what the mission of the club is. This was critical to the club as it has shown these students that they are a part of something much bigger. This also motivated them to do more because they want to create substantial change in our community and abroad. They are also amazed by the stats of Rotary: how many Rotaractors and Rotary Clubs there are. It’s important that our members know what they are a part of.
Had two very successful service projects We served one afternoon at Boca Helping Hands. We helped sorting food and preparing the pantry. This event was very hands-on and our members loved to know they were making a difference. We also served at Boca Raton’s Mayor’s Ball. This event is hosted by one of our local Rotary Clubs and they asked us to come help with registration and things like that. The members that went felt so honored to have been invited to this event. They all got dressed up and took so many nice photos. They came back to our club the following week so happy about how nice the Rotarians were to them.
Two members attend the Rotary Leadership Institute On Saturday morning, bright and early. Two of our member went to the Rotary Leadership Institute. This was a great learning experience for both of them as they found out, more in depth, what being a Rotarian looks like. The Rotarians that were there were so nice and eager to talk to them. Great opportunity for our Rotaractors. Cont. page 34
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Had an outstanding speaker, Debbie Donnelly McLay Our last meeting of the month, we were honored to have Debbie come to speak to us. Her Rotary story, starting from the Youth Exchange really highlighted how important and impactful Rotary can be to each of us. She also spoke about her career as a pilot and the things her Rotary Club does. Our member raved about her! She showed us, first hand, all the amazing things that can be in store for each of us. She definitely motivated the whole club. As the President of this club, I am beyond amazed at the energy and excitement from the members. They always want to do more and learn more. I have no doubts that the future of Rotary is looking bright! Please join us on our journey! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and feel free to email us at faurotaractclub@gmail.com.
Meetings: * Secound and Fouth Thursday of the month * 7:00pm * FAU’s Student Union, Sugar Palm Room * faurotaractclub@gmail.com
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how we wanted to rule the world and what our message would be. So we put them all on paper and assembled them as one. We wanted it to be about a little more than just winning. We wanted our video to represent all that we believe in.
Why you should enter the 2017 Interact Video Awards Posted on September 18, 2017 We were honored to be selected as best video in last year’s Interact Video Awards. Our goal was to open people’s eyes to the need to take care of our planet and ourselves. We were driven to take part both because it was something different from our usual activities and because the theme was so interesting (If Interactors ruled the world). I remember being at our club’s meeting when our president announced the idea of making a video. Many people were very excited. Our club likes taking on new challenges and trying things for the first time. It only took us a very short time to decide to participate, but it took longer for our video to come together. We all had different views on 36
It was not always easy to do, but all the hard work and hours we spent were definitely worth it. We met a couple of times just to talk about the idea. Then we sketched the idea, made up a script, and filmed several times before it came out how we wanted. Coloring all the drawings was a fun part and made our video so much better. We couldn’t have done it without Alin, a friend of ours who enjoys making movies and videos. Making a video isn’t something we do every day, and it opened up new opportunities. Through the process, we formed stronger friendships and got to know each other better. We also enjoyed watching all the other entries. The whole experience grew us closer as a club. We encourage you to consider making your own video and entering it in this year’s Interact Video Awards – People of Action. By Andrei Precup, president of the Interact Club of Constanta, Romania
Rotary and Rotaract clubs, teachers, and parents can all work together to make your Interact club's vision a reality. Submit your video by 30 November. All videos must be in English or include English subtitles. Be sure that any music you use is either original or royalty-free. Learn more on the Interact Facebook page or email interact@rotary.org.
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Vero Beach High School
Interact CLUBS
November 2017 * Quest Magazine
These 7 members did some raking, weeding, trimming and removing of dead plants...
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Outbound Classs 2017 - 2018
ROTARY YOUTH EXCHANGE
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Alex Flanagan
Japan Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia School: Riverwood International Sponsor District : District 6900 Sponsor Club: Sandy Springs, Georgia Host District: 2770 Host Club: The Rotary Club of Urawa-Diamond
My Bio Hello, My name is Alex. I’m currently sixteen and live in Atlanta, Georgia. I’ll be studying in Japan next year, and I’m very excited. I live with my parents, my dog, my rabbit, and two cats. I have an older brother who attends Furman University in South Carolina who wants to major in physics. Music is a huge part of my life, and I’ve been playing piano for over eight years. I also play trumpet in my school’s chamber winds, and have played in the marching, jazz, and pit bands throughout high school. I’ve also been taught a little bit of drum set and guitar, but I don’t know too much yet. I’ve made a music video, too. My favorite subjects other than music are psychology and literature. In my free time, I enjoy hanging out with friends, watching movies, playing video games, and writing. I’d say my favorite hobby is paintball. I love art, but I can’t draw, so I like to color and buy artwork for my room. I love to make people laugh, and there’s no better feeling than making someone’s day brighter. My father says the Japanese culture is a completely different way to be modern. I’ve taken Japanese since middle school, and I’ve always liked the language- its structure and flow is fascinating to me. I’m thrilled to live in Japan for the next year of my life. I think I’ll have an incredible time. Maybe I won’t have to use subtitles when I watch anime when I come back. I’m ready for a life changing journey, and I wonder how I’ll change. My world is so small right now and I know there is so much more out there to learn. I can’t wait. Quest Magazine * Edition 04
Journals: Alex-Japan Blog 2017-18 I arrived in Japan on August 20, so it’s been just
about a month and a half since I moved to Japan. Moving here has already changed my life forever. I absolutely love living in a completely different place hearing a different language all day. Learning how to live your life in a completely different way, as people do in different country than you, is what exchange is all about. You will find that living in another country is beautiful, amazing, and extremely challenging. Exchange isn’t a vacation, you don’t stay in a hotel and just go do touristy things all day. That’s not what exchange is about at all. To me, it’s learning about how people on the other side of the world do things- school, transportation, meals, and things as small as going up the escalator. If you go to Japan, you’ll find out what I mean. You learn about the underworks of a culture, finding out how the reasons behind what they do can go back for centuries, or sometimes people don’t know why they do certain things; they just do them. With time, you learn to just do them too. Most all days I truly enjoy here. Even simple things like walking to school from the train station make me feel full and happy with life, because I know I’m living life somewhere so different than back home. It’s exciting and incredible. Then there are the days where something truly beautiful happens, and I feel like the luckiest person alive to just experience the
November 2017 * Quest Magazine
world. These are the days that stay with you. Going on exchange means you get to experience these things, but it also is the most difficult challenge you will take on thus far. In only a month and a half, I experienced sickness, new allergies, losing my bike key and tickets, extreme exhaustion, Japanese language difficulties, miscommunication with my host family, and sleepless nights. Exchange isn’t easy. There are times when I wish I could just give my parents at home a hug, or just understand what on earth was going on around me. These things just take time and you just have to get through them. If you’re not ready for some of the hardest days yet, you’re not ready for exchange. For me, though, it’s more worth it than anything I’ve ever done. Getting through the days that seem impossible, and enjoying life have made me stronger already. I feel my language ability stronger bit by bit every day, and those crappy days make the great ones even more beautiful. Being on exchange has made me appreciate life in ways that I had never done before. I wanted my world to be changed and different than anything else I had experienced before, and that’s what I’ve gotten. Tue, October 3, 2017
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LOCAL TOURISM
City of Pahokee
City of the district 6930
History
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Pahokee was incorporated in 1922. The name "Pahokee" means 'grassy waters' in the Creek language. Local residents refer to Pahokee as "The Muck", which refers to the mineral-rich dark soil in which sugar cane, citrus fruits and corn are grown by agribusinesses. It was known as the "Winter Vegetable Capital of the World" in its heyday, when the city enjoyed thriving commerce.
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The City of Pahokee is the ONLY city that has direct access to Lake Okeechobee and our Marina is a destination location for tourists from around the country, environmentalists and fishing enthusiasts.
Pahokee Marina & Campground Aerial View
The Pahokee Marina and Campground is pet-friendly and contains a 125-site Pahokee Campground. Visitors can enjoy hiking on the lake rim, fishing, bird watching, airboat rides or even archeological searches into the golden history of Lake Okeechobee. The Marina campground offers breathtaking unobstructed l a k e views, w i t h full RV and tent hookups located
along the shores of Lake Okeechobee. All sites are located along the shores of Lake Okeechobee, providing unmatched access to the lake and storybook sunsets. Boaters are encouraged to bring their boats Pahokee Marina at Sunset and visit the Marina. All registered campground guests will enjoy the use of a beautiful lakeside swimming pool. The Pahokee Marina is just minutes away from many nearby activities, including fishing, airboat tours and shopping. In addition, Miami, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Disney World and Kennedy Space Center are just a few hours away.
Pahokee Marina, Waterside
RV, Boat and Motorcycle touring groups are welcome to visit.
People from Pahokee
Mel Tillis Country Musician
Search
Zabian Dowdell
November 2017 * Quest Magazine
Janoris Jenkins
- Wikipedia - cityofpahokee.com
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Quest Magazine * Edition 04
ROTARIAN STORY
TELL YOUR STORY
My dad’s battle with polio
Michelle Provan and her dad, Robert, who died in 2006 from pulmonary complications stemming from postpolio syndrome. During the 1950s, shortly after World War II, polio had a rampant outbreak in Chicago. I remember my dad, Robert Provan, telling the story of how he went to play at Evergreen Park, taking a sip of cool water from a drinking fountain, and believing that is where he caught the deadly disease at age five. He was diagnosed with the worst type of polio. It instantly affected his entire body, and he was paralyzed from the neck down. He also spent time in an iron lung. My grandparents tried a couple of specialists to no avail. In fact, they were told to institutionalize him, a practice that was common during this time. They were told, “He is a burden to the family, and he belongs in an institute. Just let him die.” Luckily, my grandparents searched even harder for someone to take on my father’s care, and they found Dr. Charles Pease at Chicago Children’s
November 2017 * Quest Magazine
Memorial (now known as Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital). My father’s condition was grim, but Dr. Pease believed in an approach that had a zero tolerance for coddling. His goal for my dad was to make him independent and selfreliant. So, the surgeries began. For five years, my dad continued to fight the effects of the disease. Though much of his early childhood was in a hospital, he made the most of his time—even sometimes causing mischief with other boys and innocently terrorizing the nurses. For five years, Dr. Pease did some incredible things. He was able to perform surgeries to help my dad. He used a muscle from my dad’s leg to pull his ribcage into alignment so he could breathe. He gained the ability to move, but then he lost ability in his left foot. Cont. page 42 43
So Dr. Pease transplanted muscles from his foot and ankle. His right leg was shorter than his left, so to stimulate growth he grafted a piece of ivory to the bone. Closing in on age 10, the doctors were very concerned about my dad’s survival. They had given him only a year or two to live, even after all of the treatment. Dr. Pease discussed a risky operation in which he intended to fuse most of my dad’s vertebrae in order to secure his spine. After my grandparents approved of the operation, Dr. Pease asked my dad for his permission. He told my dad there was a 50/50 chance that the procedure would fail and kill him. My dad agreed, knowing at age 10, that he may never make it off the operating table. During the operation, my dad flat lined for a few minutes. They brought him back, and then finally, a breakthrough as the surgery was successful. “We are made to care for one another. We fill our lives with meaning by caring for someone else. Love until it hurts.” Dr. Pease didn’t stop innovative treatment until the day my dad walked out of the hospital. My dad lived an exceptionally successful life. He went through public school where he excelled and served as student body president for two years. He graduated from the University of Texas law school. Robert J. Provan as an attorney. His lawsuit against HMOs on behalf of patients with disabilities was the first of its kind.
Robert Provan and a very young Michelle.
He became General Counsel of Stephen F Austin University, then General Counsel of the Texas State System, and an Assistant Attorney General of Texas. He eventually opened his own law firm in order to defend disabled patients and their doctors. He was the first lawyer to sue HMOs for denying care to sick patients in order to make a profit and he won. That case changed the way insurance companies managed their enrollees and saved hundreds, possibly thousands of lives. Today, Bob Provan’s legacy lives on. His winning case is now studied at law schools including Harvard Law School. He was featured on the cover of Wall Street Journal and Austin American Statesman. A mini-documentary aired on A&E’s Investigative Reports about the case. Today, in Pflugerville, Texas, a school, Provan Opportunity Center, operates to serve children who need social, emotional, and academic support. In his 40s, my dad was diagnosed with postpolio syndrome. That placed a long-term strain on his physical resilience and his battle to deal with the effects of polio as well as the strain of the law case. At age 61 he died from pulmonary complications, an effect of post-polio, on 6 July, 2006. He is buried under a large oak tree at Lindale City Cemetery. Polio eradication is something I hope to see accomplished in my lifetime. For all of you who work toward this fight, keep fighting. The world needs you. And from the bottom of my heart, from someone who has seen the effects of polio first-hand, I thank you. My dad often said, “We are made to Robert J. Provan as an attorney.care for one another. We fill our lives with meaning by caring for someone His lawsuit against HMOs on else. Love until it hurts.” behalf of patients with disabiliYou are fighters, and you are heroes – just like my dad. ties was the first of its kind. By Michelle Provan
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Quest Magazine * Edition 04
EDITOR MESSAGE Hello my fellow Rotarians! It is with great honor that I am here this new year continuing to provide for you The Quest Magazine. This is a project I think is so important because it shares the wonderful things that our district is doing. The Quest is made to promote you and your club. As such, I need your help! You know what is happening on your club, so I ask you to send me articles and photos. Anything that tells the district the great work that your club is doing. The Quest is only successful because of you. I want to encourage you all. The 2017 and 2018 Rotary International theme is “Making a Difference”. Interesting how he chose the verb “mak-ing”. He did not use a past tense, not future, not passive. He used the active form of the word make. This means that we, as Rotarians must actively work to make a difference. We must actively do service projects around our community. The Rotary Clubs must actively work with the youth clubs. We may not be able to change the whole world, and maybe we will not be able to end world hunger this year, but together we can really make this community better and that’s what I want the mission to be. We must act locally, and eventually that will ripple globally. I am very excited for this new Rotary Year. Thank you.
Dini Heizer District 6930 Newsletter Editor 2014-2018 rotaryquestmagazine@gmail.com RotaryDistrict6930
November 2017 * Quest Magazine
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