Club Business
President O’Donnell opened the meeting at 12:09.
John David Wagner gave the invocation and led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Sam Powell has a birthday this week. Mary Thomas Gilbert and Chuck Stedman each have anniversaries this week.
Next meeting will be live at Alamance Country Club. Carolyn Rhode has the program.
Blood drive this Friday at Burlington Brew Works 12-6pm.
Red Oak social on 6/16 at 5:30pm.
This day in history: Nissan Motors founded in 1934; Helen Keller died in 1968; CNN became first 24-hour news network in 1980; Mikael Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan signed a treaty to ban chemical weapons in 1990.
Rick Moore reported another week has gone by without any new polio cases. Still only two cases this year. The last case of the wild Poliovirus in the US was in 1979. Polio vaccinations started in 1957.
President O’Donnell continues to strive to build membership. Has invited social directors from Twin Lakes and Brookwood senior living communities to attend.
Program: Alison Huber – Triad Honor Flights
Brooke Carpenter introduced the speaker, Alison Huber of the Guilford Rotary Club to speak about the Triad Honor Flights program (https://triadhonorflight.org/).
Alison stated the reason for her passion and involvement in the Triad Honor Flight program is her father. She is also inspired by a 98-year-old WWII veteran of the “Battle of the Bulge” and hopes to have him to part in the program.
Honor Flight is an all-expenses-paid one-day trip to Washington DC to view the monuments for veterans 65 and older. Originally was for WWII veterans, but has been expanded to all veterans over 65. Started with 6 planes and 12 veterans.
In 2020 Triad Honor Flight has been established as a regional honor flight hub. Gained support from Rotary District 7690. Part of a national organization that defines requirements. 130 national hubs in 45 states. Over 50,000 veterans are on waiting lists. Have a minimum of one flight per year. Priority is given by age of the veteran. All veterans are escorted. Escorts pay their own expenses.
Triad Honor Flights has scheduled a flight for Nov 11, 2021. Sponsorships are available for $600. Any donations are welcome and appreciated. Guardians are $600 too. Every veteran has a guardian 1:1 ratio. Guardians can be anyone from 18 to 70. Guardians cannot be the veteran’s spouse.
Asking for us to be ambassadors and spread the word. Yard signs are available for $20 or less if purchased in quantity. Holding a musical fundraiser on June 5th with bands, food trucks, and fireworks at the Hideaway on Crooked Creek. Tickets are $75 each. Cycling fundraiser was recently held and hope to have netted $10K to $13K for Triad Honor Flight.
The average cost of a flight is $100 t0 $120K. Have a $70K contract with American Airlines. Flight from PTI.
Can sponsor a veteran. If over 80, have an excellent chance of being included on a flight. Must be able to get on and off a bus. May use wheelchair assistance, can’t be wheelchair-bound.
Sam Powell has a person he would like to sponsor.
Conclusion
President O’Donnell closed the meeting with the 4-Way Test at 12:44 and encouragement for all to “Exit to Serve!”