Club Business
Dick O’Donnell convened our club Zoom meeting at Noon. Joseph Williams offered a prayer and led us in the pledge of allegiance to the US flag.
Announcements
- Brooke Carpenter is overseeing the construction of a ramp for a wheelchair bound citizen.
- Next week our speaker will be Jane Albright, a retired Division I women’s basketball coach who resides on Graham. We are not yet sure if we will meet by Zoom or in person, depending on the governor’s announcement this week. Dick will let us know.
Member Spotlight
Susan Watson was born in Tampa, FL. She was adopted when six days old. Later the family moved to NC, where her mom met and married her “Dad,” a postal service worker, when Susan was nine. He brought special delivery mail to Susan’s mom, which is how the relationship budded. Susan said she deeply appreciated her adoptive Dad who was a great provider for the family. She has a sister who is nine years older. Basically they were both raised as only children. Susan was part of the first fully integrated class to graduate at Dudley HS in Greensboro. She next attended UNCG with the intention of becoming a nurse. That fell by the wayside after she was offered a full time job offer at Sears. Around that time she married her high school sweetheart, with whom she had three children. She has also been blessed with 2 very special grand children.
Susan decided to go back to college to finish her degree in business. Along the way she took a course in Women’s Gender Studies, which opened up a brand new world to her. She ended up volunteering at the Women’s Resource Center in Greensboro. Later when the position of director in Burlington presented itself, she was ready. She says it is the most interesting and rewarding work she has ever done.
Susan is a UNC and Miami Dolphins fan. Her middle child and oldest son has traveled a great deal. He is a certified scuba instructor in Thailand. Susan also earned certification as a diver and spent an extended time under his tutelage diving overseas. She said it was terrifying and incredible.
Susan also started another business called Delegating 4 Success, LLC that provides sub-contracted services to small businesses to leverage time for entrepreneurs.
Program: Scott Hahn – Feed the Hunger
Scott is the new COO of Feed the Hunger. Until coronavirus restrictions lift, he will also retain his responsibilities as the Packathon Director. Joseph Williams introduced him by letting us know that he has been with FTH for 18 years and in charge of Packathons for 10 years. As things go forward, FTH will convert to a Rotary corporate membership, which will allow either Joseph or Scott to attend meetings.
Scott told us that less developed nations are being hit very hard by lock downs associated with the coronavirus, since the lack of m0bility interferes with farming and crop production. All this portends a severe food shortage this fall and winter that could put some 230 million people in jeopardy of starvation. That is where FTH can help. However, they have not been able to pack as much food as needed because health restrictions. They now have a place rented full time at Holly Hill Mall. They need packers to try to keep up with demand. This Thursday and Friday evening and Saturday morning workers will prepare food for Hurricane Laura victims. Scott told us that we can set up packing sessions specially fitted for Rotarians and Interact students.
FTH will also be coordinating with EduPack to send much needed school supplies to poor nations. They also have three pallets of food going to Beirut to serve victims of the recent bomb blast. The food consists of a carbohydrate base of either rice or pasta, combined with a protein of either soy or pinto beans, dehydrated vegetables, and a special formulation of vitamins for malnourished kids. Scott said the children who routinely receive their meal packets are healthier and do better in school.
Conclusion
Dick asked us to invite new members and concluded by leading us in reciting the Four Way Test.