Last week's meeting was the usual combination of camaraderie, humor, and a good program. Thanks to Eleanor Kenitzer for bringing us Alan Archer, director of the Nevada County Library's literacy programs. Alan's presentation was both grim and inspiring -- perhaps 10,000 people in Nevada County are illiterate, but we have wonderful public and private charitable resources available to make a difference. You might consider participating in the "Scrabble Scrambler," a fundraiser for the Library's "Read Up!" Program at the Nevada City Veteran's Building on Pine Street a 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 24th.
Program Chair and PE Eleanor Kenitzer also passed the hat to distribute dates for the coming year for Club members to take the lead in organizing programs. If you missed the meeting or otherwise didn't get a date and would like to organize a program, contact Eleanor.
My bell even made an appearance, after being "hidden" by parties unknown in one of the National Hotel's lobby display cases. I had a picture taken of my handoff of the bell to Eleanor, who will be in charge of its safe-keeping while I am on vacation these next two weeks. We also had a visit from KNCO's Bob Breck, who presented the club with a donation of almost $1,000 from the $5,000 KNCO won by buying the winning duck in the 49er Club's annual Duck Race. KNCO's winnings were distributed among the five Area 4 Clubs (Grass Valley, Nevada City, Nevada City 49er, Penn Valley, and South County) per capita. We will put the funds to good use after discussion at the October 5th Board meeting.
Mark your calendars for the Area 4 Foundation Dinner on November 14th at the Nevada City Elks Lodge. The speaker will be local Rotaractor Sol Henson, who is midway through a year-long visit to the Batwa Pygmies in Uganda, where he is working on water and sanitation programs. His presence is key to the success of our own Club's 3H Grant for a dairy goat husbandry project. It will be an interesting program and a good opportunity for networking and fellowship with Rotarians from all the area clubs. If you are working on a Paul Harris for this year (and, we hope you are!), we can recognize you at the dinner if your get your funds in soon. For details on how much you need to contribute to complete your Paul Harris and how to write the check and to whom to submit it, check with pP Bob Buhlis, our Foundation Chair.
In one last meeting highlight, Ron Knaus presented us with an original copy of the 1935 newspaper article announcing the formation of our Club. We'll be relying on Allan Rogers to have that appropriately matted and framed so we can display it alongside our Charter. Thank you, Ron!
Shutterbugs, take note! October 10th is Rotary International's "Day in the Life" Photography Day. Rotarians around the world will be taking photos to demonstrate daily aspects of the way of life that is Rotary. If you have an interest, polish those lenses and grab an image of Rotary's impact in our community on October 10th. Details can be found on the RI website: www.rotary.org.
Our next program features Grass Valley Officer Clint Bates updating us on the corrosive effects of drug sales and use in our community and efforts to combat drugs and rehabilitate their effects. He'll be speaking on behalf of the Nevada County Narcotics Coalition. Thanks to Eleanor Kenitzer for arranging this.
I won't see you for a couple of weeks, but have two good meetings without me!
