Notes from Rotary Meeting of September 9, 2013
President Tyler Smith called the meeting to order and led members in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and the Four-Way Test of Rotary. Mike Sutton offered the invocation. Leigh Morris led in singing.
Happy $$$’s – Tyler Smith, Mike Sutton, Kregg Van Meter, Andy Serafin, Keith Schwingendorf, Ed Volk, Vern Sikora.
Sergeant-at-Arms – Kregg Van Meter raised money for the club (with the help of Neil Mangus wielding the collection basket) with questions about the Notre Dame/Purdue football rivalry which started in 1896!
Rotary Youth Exchange – Tyler Smith reminded members that applications are now being accepted at the district level from high school juniors and seniors who are eligible to participate in time spent abroad with a Rotary host family. For applications or more information, contact Tyler.
Rotaract – Sean Hayes, senior at Purdue North Central, and a new member of the club, announced its fund raising car and bike show this Saturday, September 14, on the PNC campus. From 100 to 200 cars will be on display from 10am to 2pm. The Funky MoJo Daddy blues band will perform. Donations and volunteers are needed. Contact Tyler for more info.
Paul Harris Fellow – Andy Serafin reported the gratitude of Elmer Sult in being recognized as an honorary Paul Harris Fellow because of La Porte Rotary’s donation to the Rotary International Foundation in his honor. Rotarians are reminded that “Every Year Every Rotarian” is asked to give to the Foundation.
Program – Kurt Mikel, Manager of the Northern Indiana Branch of JDRF
Mr. Mikel informed us that JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1diabetes (T1D) research. Its mission is to cure, treat and prevent type 1 diabetes through the support of research. Diabetes is the name given to disorders in which a person’s pancreas stops producing insulin, a hormone that enables people to get energy from food. T1D is an auto-immune disease in which the body stops producing insulin. It usually strikes in childhood, adolescence or young adulthood and lasts a lifetime. T ype 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder in which a person’s body still produces insulin but is unable to use it effectively and is usually diagnosed in adulthood. Nearly 26 million Americans have diabetes. Diabetes has a huge impact on life requiring constant monitoring of glucose levels and injections of insulin, and can take a significant toll on the person’s overall health. For more information, visit the website atnorthindiana.jdrf.org
Rotarians in attendance were: Mike Arnett, Ron Cmiel, Mitch Feikes, Ron Gigliotti, Judy Hamilton, Neil Mangus, Fran Milo, Leigh Morris, Dale Parkison, Joseph Rosenblum, Keith Schwingendorf, Andy Serafin, Vern Sikora, Tyler Smith, Mike Sutton, Kregg Van Meter, Deb Varnak, Ed Volk. Guest/Prospective Member: Randy Thorpe, La Porte Community School Corporation.