The Wheel for July 11, 2019
Listen to Brenda Cressey – The Rotary Foundation
The Wheel
Brenda Cressey – The Rotary Foundation
Brenda was invited to join Rotary in 1989 and is a proud member of the Rotary Club of Paso Robles, CA. USA in District 5240. She is recently retired as the CEO of Office Support Systems, a telecommunications business.
She has served in a number of key roles for Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation, in the areas of membership, foundation, leadership training. These opportunities have allowed her to meet, mentor and serve alongside many fellow Rotarians around the globe. Brenda currently serves as Chair of The Rotary Foundation and is serving a four-year term on The Rotary Foundation from 2017-2021.
Since serving as Governor in 2001-02, most of her Rotary assignments have focused on successful Fund Development for The Rotary Foundation, specifically in the areas of Polio Eradication, Annual Fund, Paul Harris Society, Endowments, Major and Legacy Gifts. She has enjoyed witnessing several successful outcomes with several Districts she has assisted and advised in these efforts.
Her passion is and has always been to see the end of Polio. This has been her mission and the very reason she joined Rotary. Having participated in a number of Rotary humanitarian projects around the world, she is a proud Rotary Foundation Alumnus. Brenda has seen and experienced, first-hand, how our gifts to the Rotary Foundation greatly impact the lives of others and will someday bring peace and understanding around the world.
She and her husband Dick are members of the prestigious Arch Klumph Society, Major Donors, members of the Legacy and Paul Harris Society and have established the Brenda and Richard Cressey Endowment for Peace.
When asked what the highlights in her life might be, she will not hesitate to say that they involve being a Rotarian. She is the recipient of the RI “Service Above Self Award” and The Rotary Foundation’s “Citation for Meritorious Service,” and prestigious Distinguished Service Award.
Outside of Rotary, Brenda was honored when nominated as one of President George H.W. Bush’s “1000 Points of Light,” recognizing those individuals who are making a difference through their volunteer service. She was also awarded Maine Public Broadcasting System’s “Jefferson Award for Meritorious Service,” and bestowed with the “State of Maine Governor Award for Community Service. She is also a two-time recipient of the American Cancer Societies Volunteer of the Year Award.
Brenda resides in Templeton, California, USA with her husband Richard, retired from a long career as a Vice President in manufacturing. They both enjoy spending time outdoors and traveling and have three wonderful grandchildren
Message From The President
Dear Rotarians,
Thank you, members, for another great Rotary year! Thank you, Past President Jim Kohl, for your leadership and congrats again on winning both the Governor’s Bell and Presidential Citation. Now on to 2019-2020! Our first guest speaker is Brenda Cressey, the Rotary International Foundation Chair. I want to dedicate my first message to the amazing work of the Foundation.
Let’s start with the Foundation’s Mission:
The mission of The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International is to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty.
Next, I want to share a snapshot of the Foundation’s history and then let our guest speaker discuss the more current Foundation service projects and goals.
In 1917, then Rotary President Arch Klumph, proposes an endowment for the purposes of doing good at the Rotary Convention in Atlanta, Georgia. Seed money was contributed by the Rotary Club of Kansas City. In 1928, The Rotary Foundation is formally named. In 1930, the first Foundation award of $500 (a very large amount at the time,) was given. In 1947, Rotary Club members contribute $1.3 million in Founder Paul Harris’ memory. In 1957, Paul Harris recognition begins. Skipping ahead, in 1979, Rotary begins immunizing 6 million children in the Philippines against polio. In 1980, Rotary commits to eradicating polio through immunization. In 1985, Polio Plus is launched. The plus refers to additional vaccines, infrastructure, advocacy and fundraising efforts now in place. In 1999, Rotary Peace Centers are founded. In 2007, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation issues the $100 million-dollar challenge. Yes, Bill Gates is listed as a member of the Seattle One Club!
Now after the many decades of work, I am proud to report that as of the International Convention last month in Hamburg, there remains only 18, that’s eighteen cases of polio still recorded in the world! Two countries are left, Afghanistan and Pakistan with Nigeria about to be declared polio free.
Now, you have a shortened version of how our Foundation dollars have been allocated over the past years. I can’t wait to hear about the future as the Foundation continues its mission to advance understanding, goodwill, peace, education, lifting people up and ridding the world of a major health crisis.
Today, our new Rotary International President, Mark Daniel Maloney asks us to “Connect the World.” In his welcome email to the Rotary leadership he wrote, and I quote “I have spoken for several months about how Rotary Connects the World, and the time has now arrived to put our words into action. We have an exciting year ahead of us, a year when we begin to implement the new Strategic Plan, what I call the Rotary Action Plan and when we will celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the signing of the UN Charter.”
I can’t wait for the rollout of the new Rotary Action Plan, the new International Foundation Service Project, and of course, our local service projects, fundraising and social events.
We are “People of Action” We live “Service above Self”
Jacqueline Thornhill
Member Highlights
Seated at President Jim’s head table was his wife Judith and Kim Nyoni.
Rose Falocco expressed the success of the new member Orientation meeting at her home.
Rosalee Hedrick and President Jim introduced our new member Judith Pinkerton.
President Jim and Ted McAdam introduce two of our Wetzel Award winners Sergeant Brittan and AFC Ferber.
President Elect Jackie Thornhill and Sergeant At Arms reminded us potential Paul Harris upgrades.
PP Jim Tucker announced that we had available ad spots in our weekly newsletter.
Jaime Goldsmith led President Jim’s last meeting with the invocation.
Jaime announced the upcoming SOAR ceremony on September 16th and was joined by 2 member officers of the committee.
Francesca Gilbert won the Lawry Bucks.
Dr. Rampur Viswanath was joined for lunch by his granddaughter.
Diane Clarey and Jerry Engel were back from the Galapagos Islands.
Deb Granda missed her chance at the pot by not drawing the Joker.
Carey Grohs and Arleen Sirois led us in song.
Scribe – June 20, 2019
Las Vegas Rotary Club Meeting: June 20, 2019
⦁ President Jim called the meeting to order. Jamie Goldsmith gave the invocation highlighting equal rights for all Americans, Arleen Sirois and Carey Grohs served as song the leaders and PP Tom Krob was the Sergeant-At-Arms;
⦁ President Jim encouraged members to participate in the Facebook live stream;
⦁ One (1) visiting Rotarian and seven (7) Guests of Rotarians were introduced;
⦁ Carey Grohs announced the upcoming Alpine Picnic Scheduled for July 27th from 11:00 to 4:00pm at PP Tom Thomas’ cabin in Lee Canyon. She reminded fellow Rotarians to sign up to bring a dish;
• Jamie Goldsmith announced the SOAR ceremony on Monday, September 16th at 8:00am at the Las Vegas City Hall;
⦁ Ted McAdams presented the Wetzel award winners Staff Sargent Brittan and Airman First Class Ferber;
⦁ Rosalee Hedrick had the pleasure to induct Judith Pinkerton into our Rotary Club;
⦁ Rosalee Hedrick gave a quick recap of the new member orientation at Rose Falocco home that was attended by 25 Rotarians;
⦁ President-Elect Jackie Thornhill gave a reminder that the club is matching dollars until the end of June for members who want to become Paul Harris Fellows or upgrade their status;
⦁ Kim Nyoni reminded the club of an upcoming 25 club event, Go Kart Social on June 28th at 6pm;
⦁ David Squier gave a recap of this quarter’s Highway Clean up;
This week’s meeting was the Club Assembly. Highlighting the achievements from the 2018-2019 Rotary year. Some of the highlighted achievements were as follows…
⦁ Membership committee reported that we have 143 total members and two new members in the process. New improvements to the website.
⦁ Canned food drive received $9600 in donations.
⦁ Santa Clothes took place in four malls and gave 365 kids $148,735.38 worth of goods and services.
⦁ Wetzel Awarded 20 airmen a staycation.
⦁ Sent 46 troops from the National Guard to an Aviators Baseball game.
⦁ Breakfast with Books program provided 4240 books to 1202 kids by 666 adult volunteers which consisted of 110 Rotarians volunteers and distributed 1815 books.
⦁ Highway cleanup had more than 50 volunteers clean up the side of the road near Bonnie Springs. A growth in attendance from previous years.
⦁ Magical Forest was led by Michael Williams.
⦁ International Services – The board contributed $5,000 towards Super Build, Mayor’s Cup in February and hosted a German team, Youth Exchange putting tournament, Global Grant is the Water Is Life program in Uganda.
⦁ New Rotary International project called Together We Read aiming to reach 0-5-year olds.
⦁ Public Image committee reported that our website was visited 12,797 from 117 different countries. The Facebook live stream recorded 20,200 minutes and the Facebook followers increased from 1,070 to 1,269.
• Las Vegas Rotary Club was awarded the District bell and numerous certificates.
⦁ Two major fundraiser’s – 260 raffle tickets were sold for $100 each. The prize was $10,000. Netting a total of $16,000 to the club. Cuisine and Octane fundraiser raised $19,000. Total funds raised to the Foundation was $33,000.
⦁ Fellowship – UNLV tailgate party, Rotary Holiday party at the Treasure Island, Alpine Picnic and the Family of rotary events.
⦁ Las Vegas Rotary Foundation’s goal was $2 million was surpassed and is at $2.1 million.
President Jim Kohl thanked the board and adjourned his last meeting.