Rotateller Rotary Club of Owego, NY
Tuesday, November 21, 2006 Gary Williams, Editor

VISITORS AND GUESTS:

We were fortunate to have a dozen Kiwanians with us to help us celebrate the beginning of Thanksgiving.

FINES:

President Al announced that he would like everyone to participate in the 50/50. (The Club would like your money). If you don’t want to do the fines, please call Al, John Spencer, or Orv and that will be taken care of.

FINES:

Orv reminded us that there are now 44 clubs in district 7170 with the addition of the new club in Dryden.

REPORT OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING:

• October attendance was 73%. 22 had100% attendance. Total - 57 members at end of October.
• District 7170 Water Resource Project: decided to allot $500 toward one of the recommended water projects located in Africa as part of the water initiative for Rotary International this year.
• BU basketball refreshment stand: Authorized the planning committee to continue negotiations with BU to participate in this fundraiser. Booth to be open only on days with sell-out crowd; involves 6 sessions requiring 3 people for the booth plus full day for BU March Madness days; guaranteed $200 each time with the potential of up to 12% of the profit. (B.C. Open did not happen locally during the summer so Owego Rotary must find replacement funds for this year.)
• Lunch price increase: full lunch price to the club moves to $8.86, including service charge and tax. The club will absorb the rise. Cost for lunch will remain the same.
• Dryden Charter Night gift reimbursement: authorized expenditure of $50 for charter member badges for to help celebrate the Dryden Rotary chartering.
• Modification to 50/50: Changes are under consideration to increase the participation and amount of money collected.

POINSETTIA SALE:

The goal is 700 this year. Bill has already received some orders, but there is a long way to go!

Jeff Stokes announced that Lew Sauerbrey is being honored on his retirement from the Tioga County Boys’ and Girls’ Club. The event will be on Talcott Street on December 1, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM. Please call Tina Bartlow to make reservations. 687-4661

CHRISTMAS GIVING:

Bernie announced that there will be gifts given to 300 children. Please pick up a mitten and bring the gift back to Rotary (or Laura’s office of the Council on the Arts) by December 12.

INTERACT:

Emily Wiles announced that Interact is working on the Christmas Party for the exchange students in the District who will be here.

PROGRAM:

Susan introduced Paul Sweeny who spoke about his 8 months in Iraq as a lawyer in the Marines. He was amazed at how well the branches interact over there. He served as an operational lawyer. He had been on active duty but went over there from the reserves. He was part of the general staff and helped make decisions about the rules of engagement. He is proud that they had a roll in the first election in Iraq in 35 years. They supported the Shiites ability to safely practice their faith in a predominantly Sunni area.

The quality of the troops is incredible. He showed some photos as he was talking. One was a palace that had been one of those of Saddam Hussein (who had 26 palaces in Bagdad alone. He shared that the war is moving target and that things in Iraq are different now than they were when he was there. It is his feeling that they helped to set the stage for Iraq to come back into the world community. The cycle of violence needs to be broken and the Iraqis are probably the only ones who can do it. Work there is 7 days a week, 16 hours a day. He was very impressed at how the young soldiers and Marines held up under this demanding schedule.

One of the great challenges is the check points. Most of the people who want to pass are innocent. The Iraqis know the rules of engagement. They are intelligent and adaptable and use the rules against us. They can use the mosques to attack which we try to protect. There are 70 mosques in Fallujah.

While he was there, Paul got to practice on his bagpipes almost every day.

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