Club Business
President Brian Dement opened the meeting. Micah Fox prayed and led us in the pledge of allegiance to the flag. Katie Dukeshire introduced Angela Kalo with the PRA Group. Stuart Sioussat presented Meredith Edwards, our county Assistant DA, who is running for Clerk of Court. Next week Betty Andrews will provide our speaker. Brian announced that our District Conference will be at Pinehurst, May 25-27. The club can offer limited financial assistance to those who plan to attend. He also encouraged each member to give $100 to the annual fund. Time is running out to give this year. Brian made the Second Reading for Scott Gaskew, who works with Alamance Glass and who has applied for membership. Micah Fox once again asked all members to make a sustained effort to recruit new members.
Happy Dollar Announcements
- Micah Fox reminded the club of the Hospice Golf Tournament.
- Stuart Sioussat for Deva Reece – Deva is attending a Durham Bulls baseball game with his wife. He wanted to see the Atlanta Braves hottest prospect up close and in person.
- Trip Durham said he will interview John Feinstein at the Greensboro Coliseum.
- Carolyn Rhode thanked Sid Little for filling in as secretary last week. She also shared about her family trip to the Biltmore House and Mystery Hill, commenting that the kids liked Mystery Hill a lot more.
Club Member Responsible for Our Program: Pete Beck
Pete served as club president from 2010-11. He now acts as the communications person for the club and let himself get talked into also being the PR Chair next year. Pete was born in Tuscaloosa, AL, the Heart of Dixie, and grew up pulling for the Crimson Tide. He moved to up North to Greensboro at age 12, attended Grimsley High School and later Duke University, where he became a follower of Christ, which changed his life. He is happily married to his high school sweetheart, Martha Bilisoly. They have four wonderful adult kids and nine extraordinary grandchildren. He pastors Life Community Network and loves to read, write, and play golf occasionally.
Program: Phil Bowers, Sustainable Alamance
The Vision of Sustainable Alamance
To build a stronger and more sustainable community, not only by promoting wise use of local natural and economic resources, but by identifying, developing and including underutilized human resources that are effectively prevented from participating in the local economy.
Our Mission (Purpose)
Use BOLD and Innovative thinking and community development approaches to connect those members of the community facing employment discrimination and resulting in generational poverty to local economic resources by:
- Identifying and nurturing members of the community with a strong desire for self-sufficiency
- Providing mentoring relationships necessary to identify and develop strong work skills, interpersonal skills, and educational opportunities
- Identifying and developing entrepreneurial capacity within the targeted community
- Developing mutually beneficial relationships with local employers that will provide employment opportunities
- Rebuilding and strengthening family relationships, socially and economically
- Providing opportunities that serve as alternatives to incarceration, minimizing the impact on families, communities and society
- Advocating for anti-discrimination policies that limit abilities for citizens to become economically sustainable.
Phil informed the club that SA has recently received the use of multiple classrooms at Beverly Hills Church, which is the current hub for the ministry. They are working hard to train men and women in the social and other skills they need to maintain employment. Reserve One is a new program in which local businesses are asked to reserve one job for people on the margins of society. Several businesses have already gotten on board. Robert Rossi, who grew up in the Bronx, is Phil’s only other staff person.
Two micro businesses SA is interested in developing is a new biodiesel enterprise and the SA moving company. The biodiesel plant is under construction, but the moving business is waiting to raise funds to buy a replacement truck. The old one is officially beyond repair.
Several club members asked questions following Phil’s presentation. Frank Longest inquired as to how much money is needed to get a replacement moving van. Phil said it will take $30 K. Katie wondered what is available for women who have criminal records. Phil said Benevolence Farms is the best option; however, SA does help women, too. The big issue is usually childcare, which SA is not currently able to provide. Mary Thoma Gilbert and Sam Powell both thanked Phil for his service to the community.
Conclusion
There was no raffle today. We all stood to recite Rotary’s four way test before Brian adjourned the meeting.