President Katie Dukeshire opened the meeting. Sam Holt gave the invocation and led the pledge of allegiance to the flag. Carolyn Rhode served as secretary.
Visiting Rotarians and Guests
- Visiting Rotarian: John Brooks of the breakfast club.
- Visiting “Guest”: Pete Beck (good to have you back so soon).
2nd Reading
- Mat Patell (Microtel Inn and Suites), guest of Randy Perkins.
- Mario Singleton (Cone Health Cancer Center) from Reidsville Rotary Club.
General Announcements
- October Fundraiser: Bring money to support Residential Treatment Services.
- We have room for 3 more to attend the Rotary Fundraising Banquet on November 11. The club has sponsored a table. Please see Katie or Carolyn to claim a seat.
- Mark your calendar: November 11 at Noon (tentative): Honor our veterans by putting flags at Alamance Memorial Park (cemetery).
- Mark your calendar: 12/12, 1-3pm: Feed the Hunger Packathon. Signups going around soon.
- Mark your calendar: 2/23, 12-2pm: First Annual Rotary Luncheon.
- Poinsettia Fundraiser. See flyer below.
- Read report from our exchange student.
Birthdays
- Micah Fox – 10/20
Anniversaries
- Carolyn and Mark Rhode
- Debbie and Chuck Porch
Upcoming Programs
- October 27 – Philip Smith
- November 3 – Mark L. + Katie
- November 10 – Richard White
Happy Clams
- Dick O’Donnell: He will be a grandfather again to a baby boy due for March.
- Carolyn Rhode: Tomorrow, her anniversary, is also they day the stars of Back to the Future traveled to. Wonder if we’ll get a hoverboard tomorrow…
- Micah Fox: Landing a big client from Green Bay today (on his bday!)…now to convince the box to book him a weekend flight and buy tickets for a Packers game…
Pete Beck: Past-President, Pastor and Friend
Before introducing our speaker, Pete shared that his wife has just underwent her second back surgery (and hopefully last). Also, his church network, Life Community Network, just finished their Fall neighborhood project where they serve the shuts and disabled by painting and performing maintenance on their home.
Program: Phil Bowers, Executive Director of Sustainable Alamance
Last weekend, Phil celebrated his 40th anniversary and daughter’s wedding. He jokes that he’s tired, so stop him if he begins to rabbit trail. Since inception, Sustainable Alamance (SA) has placed 61 people in full time jobs; 14 of those within this year. Most of the people SA works with are the incarcerated or those with felonies on their records. After this update, he gets into his main message: “So What?”
“So what?” is a question he’s been asking himself this year.
Some of his people stay in full jobs, some don’t.
So what?
Are we really helping people, or just feeding a statistic?
So what?
The solution he’s working to starts with the tough question, “So what?. Questioning the process and way funding for non-profits work.
He came to this conclusion after much research and encounters with the Christian Community Development Association. They take a holistic approach to to helping complete communities become sustainably healthy, as opposed to coming in, building health and community centers staffed by outsiders.
We need to measure success differently. Elon’s economics department did a study that showed the impact SA is having on Alamance County. SA brings in $1 million in economic growth every year that stays here thanks to the workers they’re putting back into the workforce. That means for every $1 donated to SA, it provides a $12-15 return for the community.
Charity is not bad, but it’s just not fully developed. The goal is to run the nonprofit as a business, not a charity. To make it sustainable, like a business. People need to be taught to stand on their own two feet.
Mark your calendar: January 30 to hear speaker Robert Lupton speaking about sustainable change in Alamance County. He’s the author and practitioner of Toxic Charity. It’s an event you don’t want to miss! Click here for details.
Card Drawing
Against all odds, Susan Watson drew the winning card and claimed the $200 pot. Congrats!
Closing
At the conclusion of the meeting, we all stood to recite the Rotary Four Way Test, and the meeting was adjourned. Until next week…
Club Related Dates
District and Club Business
2nd Tuesday of Each Month: Board Meeting for officers and committee chairs, 11 am until Noon.
Birthdays and Anniversaries
Oct | Birthdays | Oct | Wedding Anniversaries |
19 | Sid Little | 2 | Tripp and Shaunda Hilliard |
20 | Micah Fox | 12 | Randy and Reida Perkins Stuart and Betsy Sioussat |
30 | Richard White | 21 | Carolyn Rhode and Mark Tosczak |
24 | Debbie and Chuck Porch | ||
30 | Peter and Cathy Sargent |