Bladensburg Rotary Club

THE BLADE

Rotary Club of Bladensburg, Maryland Vol. 50, No. 43, April 24, 2008

THIS WEEK'S MEETING: Dr. Marianna Yamamoto, on Living with Polio

Dr. Marianna Yamamoto, whose mother spent four months in an iron lung during the 1941 polio epidemic, will give us a real-life perspective on polio. We will also give awards for the 4-Way Test Poster Contest.

Joe Slert will collect contributions for the Food Bank - food and/or checks. We also hope to wind up two on-going projects this month. Wallis Sibila is collecting DVDs for veterans' hospitals and rehabilitation centers, and asks each of us to find two to donate (with DVD players also welcome). Also, we need a few more books (kindergarten through fifth grade) to finish our books for school libraries projects.

Next week

: There will be no regular meeting on May 1^st , due to the District Conference.
LAST WEEK'S MEETING
:

We pledged allegiance to the flag on Milt Jernigan's lapel pin, and Eolia gave the prayer. High Sheriff Roger Candelaria collected dollars from those not yet volunteering to help with the peer mediation program for high school students at the University of Maryland on April 29^th. (Call or email Roger to volunteer - (301) 405-2839, rcandel@umd.edu - there's still time, and Roger will be our May High Sheriff too, so it's-best to get on his good side now.)

Eolia announced she has applied for community grants from Walmart to support several Club projects - school supplies to our elementary schools, Margaret Brent Fun Day, and an additional $1000 scholarship. Mary Dudley told us that we can expect to tour either the new wound treatment center or the newly renovated sleep center at Doctors Community Hospital on May 22^nd, when we will meet at the hospital for a Vocation in the Workplace meeting instead of at Woodmoore.

This was our (slightly late) quarterly birthday celebration, for birthdays from January through April. Only Mike McKeever would admit to celebrating a birthday in that period. We also wished a happy birthday to John Moore (April 7^th), hoping he can return to us soon, and Eolia presented a gift to Hercule Clark for her new granddaughter.

We had three speakers: Poonam Chhunchha, District Rotaract Representative; Wasim Rahman, President of the Prince Georges County Rotaract Club; and Brendan Adams, President of the Rotaract Club of Capitol City - Washington DC. They invited us to attend the wine tasting and auction to be held at the Cambodian Embassy in support of the District 7620 Rotaract Project Cambodian Land Mines Project, and asked for donations of silent auction items as well. Proceeds will help support the Halo Trust's land mine project in Northwest Cambodia, helping to save lives, provide safe access to food and water, open land for agricultural use, and relieve the trauma of endangered villagers.

Up to 20,000 people are killed or injured by land mines each year - 800 a year in Cambodia until 2005, when Halo Trust projects began to reduce the number to what is still about 450 a year. Our help is needed. See our District Rotaract website at http://www.rotaract7620.org/ for more information on the fundraiser and the project. Donations can be made by sending checks to the Friendship Heights Rotary Club Foundation, c/o Brendan Adams, 11801 Rockville Pike, #305, North Bethesda, MD 20852. Make out checks to the Friendship Heights Rotary Club Foundation, and write "Cambodian Land Mines Action" on the memo line.

After the meeting, the Executive Board met and agreed that the Club would donate $1,000. They will ask the Foundation to match the gift if funds are available.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Eolia visited John Moore and brought him a plant given to the Club by Bladensburg Elementary School in thanks for the gift certificates for school uniforms. John would love to have more visitors. He's in the Riderwood Rehabilitation Center - first building on the right if you enter through the front gate. Ask the staff at the desk for his room number.

GOLF TOURNAMENT
- Mike Ahearn needs prizes (gift certificates, for example)! Let him know if you have anything to donate. Find sponsors for tee signs, line up foursomes to play, and sell those raffle tickets! Volunteers will be needed early (7 AM) to set out tee signs and staff registration, and later volunteers to help prepare and serve food. Look for a sign-up sheet at our next meeting.

April 20-25 is Career Week at Gladys Noon Spellman Elementary School - volunteers needed. Talk to their guidance counselor, Dr. Jones, to volunteer. The School's phone number is (301) 925-1944.

THE DISTRICT CONFERENCE
is May 2-4, at the Gaithersburg Hilton. Be there! Next year's officers should attend the District Assembly, at the Conference on Saturday morning, May 3^rd, beginning with breakfast at 7:30 AM - Judy C. is trying to get information for us on how to register for this.
ROTARY FAMILY NIGHT AT THE BOWIE BAYSOX
is Friday, May 16 - 7:05 PM. The BaySox will play the Connecticut Defenders, and we'll be in the Presidential Suite. The Club is paying - and hoping that members attending will donate to the Food Bank. See Dr. Bill DuBoyce to sign up (by April 26, 2008).

We'll help take tickets at the Melwood-Prince George's Country Open at Woodmore, Thursday, May 22 through Sunday May 25, in three daily shifts - 7 to 9, 9 to 2, and 2 to 6. Volunteers must spend $35 to buy a golf shirt and cap (to be worn with khaki pants, shorts, or skirts). In return they will get food and two passes for the week to use or give away, and the Club will get a block of tickets to sell. Mike McKeever should have a sign-up sheet for us soon. Please volunteer to help if you can.

Jan Kalshoven reports that Ann Swann, Eolia Sibila, and Jan and Julia Kalshoven heated up lasagna and vegetables for the less fortunate at Elizabeth House ( http://www.fumcl.org/mission/fish.php on April 17^th. Using Eolia's recipe, Julia prepared nearly forty slices of white and wheat garlic bread. We prepare the food - others serve. Our shift lasts from 4:30- 5:45 PM. Let Ann know if you can help next month (May 15).

GUESTS:
Brad Ballish, Ed Cappuccillli, Phyllis Grill, Nancy Hoglund, Betty Jernigan.
50-50
: Patricia Ballish, who donated her winnings to the Cambodian Land Mine Project

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

April 29 Institute on Conflict Resolution Skills for high school students, at the University of Maryland, 9 AM - 2 PM. Volunteers needed - Ask Roger Candelaria how you can help

May 1 NO REGULAR MEETING

May 2-4 District Conference, at the Gaithersburg Hilton

May 8 Scholarship and Stipend Awards

May 15 Our 31st Annual GOLF TOURNAMENT, at Glenn Dale Golf Club. (No regular meeting)

Talk to Mike Ahearn about what you can do to help - and sell those raffle tickets!!!!

May 16 BLADENSBURG ROTARY FAMILY NIGHT at the Bowie Baysox – Contact Bill DuBoyce

May 22 Vocation in the Workplace Meeting - at Doctors Community Hospital– no meeting at Woodmore

May 29 Margaret Brent Fun Day – more soon from Milt Jernigan– no meeting at Woodmore

Respectfully submitted,

Sydney Pierce,

Blade Editor

Chartered - March 20, 1959