Rotateller Rotary Club of Owego, NY
Tuesday, November 7, 2006 Gary Williams, Editor

VISITORS AND GUESTS:

• Fred Strauss, member of the Endwell Club who lives in Owego
• Kate, from Interact at OFA

MUSIC:

“R-O-T-A-R-Y” led by Carl without accompaniment

FINES:

Orv fined all of us if we did not know that Arch Klump was the Father of The Rotary Foundation and if we did not know that November is Rotary Foundation Month.

Al took his grandson to “Mice on Ice” and did not fall. (What an embarrassment that would be for a Canadian!)

Bernie is feeling better and her mother is out of the hospital!

John has a roof over his head for the next six months.

Orv is thankful for his health.

Harold replaced 18 windows in his house and is pleased that he doesn’t have to meet the historical requirements of the village. (Most people have not been in the Club long enough to understand this.)

POINSETTIAS:

Bill reminded us that they will go on sale right after Thanksgiving and that we need to sell 700 this year to make as much money as we did last year. Perhaps Warren can help us out now that he is out of retirement!

There is a Youth Services Committee Meeting this week!

Suzanne told us about her week. On Sunday she went to eat with Richard and Jim who made a Dutch meal for her. She is selling candy to raise money for the Art Club trip to NYC. Kate was also selling candy.

PROGRAM:

Mrinalini was introduced by Laura. She is a most pleasant and unusual girl. She has made such a wonderful transition. She told us about her school. She also told us about Indian preconceptions about family values in the US. She feels that parents in the US are concerned about their children just the way they are in India. She feels that there is too much academic pressure in Indian schools. She attends an English medium school. Each state has schools in their native language. At home they attend school on Saturdays except the second Saturday which is a holiday. Most people in India can manage in English. India is the largest English-speaking country in the world. It is compulsory to speak English in her school.

Orv asked about water. They get “clean water” every fourth day. It may only flow for ˝ hour and they store it. Even though this is clean water, it still needs to be boiled and filtered. Every other day they get salt water from wells which they use for washing dishes, clothes, and bathing. They don’t learn about the US in school other than part of world history. They learn British English. It would be nice to have Mrinalini continue this conversation.

50/50 Carl

Back to Meetings