President Dick O’Donnell convened the meeting. Jim Cartner led the prayer and pledge of allegiance to our flag. Dick shared that our club emphasizes fellowship and service, saying he hopes to see our numbers grow from the current 47 to 60 during his tenure as president.
Guests
- Terrence Johnson with Dale Carnegie Institute
- Pastor Farren Duncan with Bellemont UMC
- Tim Hinton with Thrivent
- Luis Santana with ISI Elite Training
- Phil Bowers, Executive Director with Sustainable Alamance
- Emily Flack, Case Mgr. with Sustainable Alamance
- Wysheka Glover, counselor with Sustainable Alamance
- Anna Rickey, SA client
- Kristen Brown, SA client
- Rodney Williams, SA client
Announcements
- Next Tuesday at noon we will meet via Zoom.
- 5:30 pm on Wednesday, November 4 we will have a club social at Red Oak Brewery. RSVP to Dick if you plan to attend.
- In December we will have our annual Christmas luncheon and Dirty Santa gift exchange.
Happy Dollars
- Trip Durham paid a dollar in Paul Mauney’s behalf to pass on Paul’s regards and greeting to his former club members. He said he misses us from Tennessee.
- Carolyn Rhode was grateful that she disappeared from cyberspace for two days as ACC changed email platforms. She also expressed thanks that her side of the building was unaffected by a recent leak.
Member Spotlight
None this week
Program: Sustainable Alamance – Three Inspiring Stories
Phil Bowers, executive director of Sustainable Alamance, took the microphone to explain that usually he tells our club and other groups what Sustainable Alamance does, but today he brought three clients who have benefited from what SA has to offer to allow them to tell their stories. He said we will better understand the “why” of SA after hearing them.
Anna Rickey
Anna told the club that drug addiction is not limited to any one group of people. It is non-discriminatory. Her descent into the horrors of addiction began as a teenager when she was prescribed pain medicine as a teen. It took twenty years for the addiction to become full blown, but when it did she ended up stealing to support her habit, thereby alienating those she loved the most. Her mother, in an effort to save her, pressed charges against her, which landed her in jail eventually. When she was released, finding an adequately paying job that compared to her former teaching position prior to becoming a felon proved impossible. Even though she had two college degrees, the doors remained firmly shut. That is when SA came alongside to help her. She received peer support training and has now been offered a job.
Kristen Brown
Kristen’s connection with SA began after her arrest for drug trafficking. Her mom had been given custody of her children, and she faced significant jail time. She also owed $50K in taxes for the confiscated drugs she had in her possession. Phil asked her how she was paying her bills, at which time she confessed that she was still selling drugs because she could not make ends meet otherwise. Phil warned her that she could go to jail for a long time, if caught. He got her a job on the moving crew so she could make some money. He also went to court with her, helping to convince the judge to reduce her sentence from fifty-two months to just 60 days. After doing her time, she returned to SA. With Phil’s help, she now has her own place and custody of her children. She said that, before Phil, no one had ever really supported her. Now she has peace of mind and knows there is more to life than just surviving.
Rodney Williams
Rodney was a drug dealer who served twenty years for his crimes. He said his time in jail gave him plenty of time to think. He decided he had to change his thinking and start hanging out with better people. He began to go to church, too. He prayed that his family would all still be alive when he was released. When he eventually got out, he was unable to find employment. His parole officer stayed on his back to get a job, threatening to put him back in prison if he failed. This is when he turned to Sustainable Alamance for assistance. He realized that he had to begin applying in person when possible, in order to sell himself as a changed person. He said SA was a group who stood by him and believed in him. SA eventually gave him a job as the employment coordinator. Now he is helping others to rebuild their lives. He is the first in his family to own his own home.
When Rodney finished, the members of the club gave the group a standing ovation for their moving testimonials. Phil said that clients go through a vetting process before ever getting recommended for a job, which includes working with others, to demonstrate work ethic and people skills, and receiving a mental health assessment. Phil said that SA has put over ninety people in full-time employment over the last twelve years with a meager 11% recidivism rate. He said Rotary members can help by offering their knowledge and support to men and women who are working to rebuild their lives.
Conclusion
Dick reminded us that we will meet via Zoom only next week. He closed the meeting by leading us in reciting the Four Way Test.