A Rotary Moment

For 01/05/2009

Kris Nordstrom McBride

 

     Happy New Year Everyone!

     Rotary Clubs reconvene this week, after our long holiday hiatus. It seems like forever since we have met for service and fellowship, so there’s no news to report this week. Instead, here are a few of our favorite moments in pictures from 2008.

     Rotarians across Montgomery County look forward to our continued work in this wonderful community in 2009!

 

To learn more about Rotary, or to submit information for the column, contact Kris via email KRISRCLC@aol.com, Fax (936) 228-0613, Phone (936) 228-5111, VM #3. Also see the Rotary District 5910 website at www.rotary5910.org

 

A Rotary Moment
For 12/15/08
Kris Nordstrom McBride
    

December 9th brought freezing rains and icy streets, but a little bad weather couldn’t dampen the spirits of 80 children and their families on a holiday adventure!
     The Rotary Club of Lake Conroe hosted it’s annual Christmas Light Tour Tuesday and there were smiles and laughter aplenty. As a special treat this year, Mr. and Mrs. Tony Gullo Sr offered their private classic car museum and 1950’s style diner for the party. The grounds were aglow with literally millions of lights. What a treat!
     The children were greeted outside by Kathy Scoles and Gary Louie and officers from The Alpha Omega Mounted Patrol – the kids love seeing and petting these beautiful horses each year.
     Special needs children and young adults from The Conroe YMCA’s Adaptive Learning Programs were the first to arrive, making their way through the museum, wide eyed and in awe of row after row of vintage vehicles. An hour and a half later, delayed by traffic and weather, the M D Anderson Kids arrived in two busses donated by Carey Limousine, with a police escort - thank you Captain Randy McDaniels and other deputies, along with Sheriff Tommy Gage, Judge Lanny Moriarity & The Oak Ridge North Police Department and Chief Andy Walters.     
     Once inside, the children met “Big Elf” Don Van Orden, his bride Teresa and their family, arms laden with cuddly stuffed animals for all. Don has been providing these gifts, plus portable CD players for each child, for many years now, and didn’t even blink when told we had quadrupled the number of children involved !
     Next, the guests met the children and grandchildren of Rotary members and the Oak Ridge North families who help us every year. Space prevents us from thanking them all by name, but they were awesome! These Santa’s Helpers, in cool hats donated by Sandy and Gail Laurentz (Thanks Sis!) handed out Santa hats donated by Donnie Buckalew, and gift bags and stocking stuffers donated by Rotarians Rick Adams, Doris Lockey and Marie Underdown. I’m always so impressed by our Santa’s Helpers, who watch as we give gifts to our guests, but never ask for anything for themselves. It’s one of the Beautiful Things of the evening.
      Further down the receiving line were the generous people who purchased the Light Tour for $20,000.00 at RCLC’s recent Wine Dinner and Auction. Proceeds fund RCLC’s support of MD Anderson’s Summer Toomey Fund, The Y’s Leap of Faith, Bridgewood Farms, Fairway Home, and many other community projects. The buying group this year included Bob & Debby Evans, Don Carter, Jim & Angela Graves, Tommy & Mary Anne Metcalf, Bill & Christina Rathbun, Mike & Katherine Landes, Alfred & Dollie Anderson, Jack & Nancy McClanahan, Jerry & Jerri Bernhardt, Gary & Janet Milleson, Dalton & Pat Thomas (who brought son Shawn), Dale & Margie Trimble, Mike & Carol Berger and RJ & Odette D'Agostino.
    Once inside the diner, Kate Turner played guitar and sang Christmas carols with the families. Balloon Lady Jamie Ruppert made balloon hats and animals to delight the children. Malcolm Pepper documented the evening on video, while Kathy Wheat snapped dozens of photos as our official candid shot photographer. Chris Wakefield was once again Captain Jack Sparrow, much to the delight of the ladies, young and old alike (we like those bad boys, don’t we?). 
     Mr. Gullo and his crew served up more than  200 hot dogs and hamburgers for the crowd, while Mrs Gullo and daughter Linda Rodriquez dished out ice cream treats. Charis Beal and other Oak Ridge North residents took up their usual “anything you need” spot on the volunteer roster, and we’d be lost without them. Walden Chef Rick Adams and the young ladies from the Montgomery High School Chapter of The National Charity League made dozens and dozens of beautiful and yummy holiday cookies. Roddy Rodriquez, Linda’s husband, was everywhere, handling last minutes details.
     With tummies full, the children were taken for a ride through the beautiful lights by Mr Gullo’s elves, ending with a visit with Santa and Mrs.Clause (T. J. & Nancy Wallace) for photos by Brett Rodriquez, on the job again this year to give the children a special memento of the evening.
      As the tired children began to board their vans and busses, the families were surprised with a portable DVD Player, donated by Bob and Debby Evans again this year. The Evans’ have spent many an hour in hospital rooms, and they know the difference it can make when the kids have something to entertain themselves. Bob and Debby, along with Don Carter, donated a DVD for each family too, so the kids could watch their first film on the ride home. Gift bags were the final treat, filled with gift certificates to Target and The Italian Grille donated by Centerpoint Energy, cookies from Ciro’s Italian Grille in Houston, and lots of little goodies from the ladies of Oak Ridge North.
     Oh, what a night! What a heartwarming night!

To learn more about Rotary, or to submit information for the column, contact Kris via email KRISRCLC@aol.com, Fax (936) 228-0613, Phone (936) 228-5111, VM #3. Also see the Rotary District 5910 website at www.rotary5910.org




 

A Rotary Moment

For 12/08/2008

Kris Nordstrom McBride

 

     “Where are you, Kris?” has been the question in the subject line of many emails I’ve received over the last couple weeks. “We’re doing good stuff in our club and you’re not reporting it. What’s up?”

       Well, “Life’s what happens while you’re busy making other plans”. We’ve all heard that song before, I  am sure, but it really hit home for me the morning of November 19^th.

     I went to bed Tuesday night ready to rise early Wednesday to complete the wrap up work for the Wine Fellowship Dinner my Rotary Club held November 15^th – I was eager to report the successful fundraising results to club members at our meeting Thursday morning. Instead, I awoke before dawn in great pain, screaming and scaring the daylights out of Michael. By midday it was apparent this wasn’t going away. Within hours I was on the operating table, making it there just as my appendix ruptured.

     To say that I am blessed is an understatement – one wrong decision that day and I might not be writing this column today. As the hours in the hospital turned into days, five in all, a steady stream of Rotarians made their way to see me, each one reminding me by their presence how much my life revolves around the friendships I have made through Rotary.

     Sunday night I was finally released and all I could think about was getting into my own comfy bed, cozy and safe under my silk blanket that feels like heaven against my skin. I fell into a deep sleep within minutes and awoke hours later refreshed and relaxed…for about ten minutes, until I reailzed in a panic that it was now November 23^rd and Lake Conroe’s annual Christmas Light Tour and Santa Party for the kids at M D Anderson was now only 16 days away, and nothing was ready. Worse yet, what to do and who to contact were all in my head and in criptic notes I had written over the last four years. MaMaMia! What now??

     One phone call to my sister in service, Doris Lockey, and all was well in the world again. Doris has been a member of the Rotary Club of Conroe for many years, serving as President for the 2006/2007, but changes to her work schedule over the last year have made it increasing difficult for Doris to leave the office midday for RCC’s luncheon meeting. So, in October Doris made the difficult decision to transfer her membership from RCC to the Lake Conroe Club, which meets for breakfast at Walden Yacht Club, just a few minutes away from Doris’ home.

      Without hesitation, Doris went into action, and Monday night she arrived at my home with Rotarians extraordinaire Pam Tipton and Marie Underdown in tow. By the end of the evening all of the prep work for Decemebr 9^th  had been divided amonst the four of us, with the 3 ladies with wheels (I can’t drive yet) doing all of the running around, leaving me work I could do from my laptop. I thank these wonderful women from the bottom of my heart.

     So here we are, December 8^th, with the Light Tour just a few hours away, and it will be the best yet! Tomorrow, 40 children from around the world who call M D Anderson home, and 40 more local children from The Conroe YMCA’s Adaptive Learning Programs , along with their families, will have a night to remember. The list of people and organizations involved in putting this night of lights together has grown again this year, an amazing partnership amongst a group of otherwise unrelated people who come together once a year for these kids. It’s a Beautiful Thing, for sure!

     I’ll have the Light Tour recap next week, and then will update everyone on what’s been happening elsewhere in Rotary throughout Montgomery County the following weeks.

     Thanks for hanging in there with me folks! Merry almost Christmas!

To learn more about Rotary, or to submit information for the column, contact Kris via email KRISRCLC@aol.com, Fax (936) 228-0613, Phone (936) 228-5111, VM #3. Also see the Rotary District 5910 website at www.rotary5910.org

 

A Rotary Moment
For 11/17/08
Kris Nordstrom McBride

     Olympic Gold Medalist Laura Wilkinson was the guest speaker at the Rotary Club of The Woodlands meeting November 6th, and told her story of how she overcame obstacles throughout her diving career, including her first dive off a 10-meter platform. She equated that to jumping off a 4 story building. Just the thought of that is enough to give me shivers!
     Board Members & Officers of the College Park Interact Club attended that same meeting, meeting many of the Rotarians in attendance for the first time. Interact has a solid presence in south county, and these young men and women do a wonderful job of serving the community.
     The Woodlands club will host their quarterly Blood Drive this Thursday, November 20. The donor coach will be stationed at the club’s meeting location, in The Woodlands Resort & Conference Center parking lot. Once again, the dynamic Sharon Conway is the Blood Drive Chair. Contact Sharon at SConway@SConwayLaw.com, (281) 681-2230.
     Rotarian Mike Landes and his many volunteers are putting the final touches on literally tens of thousands of hand made candy rolls - made from tissue cores, holiday papers and hard candy – that will soon be delivered to Mexico as gifts for needy children. This project has grown from a small mission of love for a handful of people to a community wide project. Like many of my fellow Rotarians, I have family members who tote along paper bags of tissue cores when they come to visit!
      The Interact Club of Montgomery High School is, I believe, the group producing the most gifts. Twelve fortunate Interact Members will accompany Mike and his group to Mexico this year for the best reward – meeting the children and distributing the gifts.
     I’m feeling a bit disjointed today and today’s column is certainly not my best, so I’ll keep it short to lessen the pain. I’m typing with one hand on the keyboard, phone in the other hand, papers everywhere, as we complete the final preparations for the Rotary Club of Lake Conroe’s Wine Fellowship Dinner November 15th – that’s tomorrow for me, “last weekend” for you. Can’t wait to give you all of the details next week!


To learn more about Rotary, or to submit information for the column, contact Kris via email KRISRCLC@aol.com, Fax (936) 228-0613, Phone (936) 228-5111, VM #3. Also see the Rotary District 5910 website at www.rotary5910.org

A Rotary Moment
For 11/03/08
Kris Nordstrom McBride

Wine Fellowship Dinner


     The old saying “When the going gets tough, the tough get going” is the marching order for The Rotary Club of Lake Conroe, as this tough little club of 50 works overtime to produce and bottle an interesting fundraiser in less than 6 weeks, The Wine Fellowship Dinner and Auction on November 15th.
    The Nov 14/15 Los Compadres Golf Tournament, a 20 year tradition of RCLC, and the club’s major fundraiser, has been postponed until 2009 as a result of Hurricane Ike. But the club has financial commitments to it’s local and international partners in service, all of which will need to be funded before the 2009 Los Compadres event. Unwilling to dissapoint the community or cut scholarships and projects, members quickly called upon Walden Yacht Club Chef Rick Adams and some generous donors to help put together a classy event in record time. 
     Cognisent of everyone’s need to strech their entertainment dollars, Chef Rick and RCLC  have kept the dinner price at $75.00 per person, well under the going rate for an event of this caliber. The dinner’s playful tag line of “7 Tempting Wines, 4 Sinful Courses, And Many Opportunities For Redemption” is a play on words surrounding the entrée course wines from Alexander Valley Vineyards, including the popular and well known “Sin Zin”, so named because of it’s “sinfully” rich character.
     Some unique silent auction items will be available, and the live auction will include a Sonoma Wine Tour, a backyard waterfall from Wakefield Landscaping, and as always, The MD Anderson Kids Christmas Light Tour, which will increase in size by four fold this year (details on that in a separate column).
     For details on the Nov 15th dinner, see the RCLC website at www.lakeconroerotary.org or call me.
     Hearthstone Costume Contest – Last Thursday the activities room of The Hearthstone Assisted Living Center in Conroe was alive with the colors of Halloween, as the seniors in residence decked themselves and their wheelchairs and walkers in their finest black and orange for the annual Halloween Costume Contest. Rotarian Mark Stevens and I were honored to be judges for the contest, along with former Rotarian Teresa Schrock, Lions Debby Glen and Dr Michael Davis, and Darlene Gold of The Italian Grille.
      Second grade students from Pam Johnson’s class at BB Rice Elementary School were the judges for the door decorations. Ila May Smith, who will turn 100 years old November 15th, won first place in BOTH! Mrs. Smith, whose husband was a Rotarian for many years, was a Rotary Ann in the days before women were accepted as club members.
     What fun this was! The residents were just awesome, and they even volunteered to help US with any upcoming projects, so they’ll be putting together the party favors for our Light Tour this December. Isn’t that just the coolest thing? We went to lend a hand and in turn, we were given so much more!  It’s a Beautiful Thing!

To learn more about Rotary, or to submit information for the column, contact Kris via email KRISRCLC@aol.com, Fax (936) 228-0613, Phone (936) 228-5111, VM #3. Also see the Rotary District 5910 website at www.rotary5910.org

A Rotary Moment

For 10/20/08

REWORKED FOR 10/27/08

Kris Nordstrom McBride

 

 

 

     Plastic grocery bags and sturdy boxes filled the room at the Rotary Club meetings the week of October 13-17, as the clubs in Montgomery County joined together to support “Rotary Week For The Food Bank”.

      The brainchild of Woodlands Rotarian Sheila Dowell, the drive was a great success. This past Monday a representative from each of the participating clubs met at The Montgomery County Food Bank, Conroe location, to deliver the non-perishable food items, along with the cash donations. More than $2000.00 in cash was raised at the Woodlands Club alone and that amount certainly increased once the other clubs added their donations to the coffers. 

     Doris Goleman of the MCFB was on hand at The Woodlands Club luncheon on Thursday the 9^th to thank Sheila and Rotarians. Doris, it was our pleasure, and we thank MCFB for being there to support our citizens in need.

    This is it – TODAY is the last day to try your luck at winning a brand new 2009 Hyundai from Weisner’s  in Conroe – The Conroe Rotary Club’s annual Rigby Owen Sr. Memorial Raffle and Pancake Supper is tomorrow night! Raffle tickets sell for $100 and include two supper tickets. Tickets for supper only are $10 and free for children under 10.

     The event will be held for the second year at the beautiful facilities in the First Baptist Church in Conroe, 6 p.m. To purchase last minute tickets, call Supper Chair Kaye Brouse at 936-760-1410 or any RCC member.  Quickly!

      Please keep our immediate Past District Governor Chuck Mason in your prayers this week. Chuck and wife Becky, who live in Beaumont, are presently in Houston, where Chuck has just undergone heart surgery at St Luke’s in The Medical Center. The Mason’s have long been great supporters of Montgomery County Rotarians

     I was in Houston last Thursday and swung by to check on PDG Chuck. He was still in ICU so I couldn’t see him, but he was already sitting up in a chair for brief periods of time. PDG Chuck has the best of reasons to put all his energy into a speedy recovery – He’ll be walking daughter Kristin down the isle in Austin over Thanksgiving weekend. Kristin was in Houston to keep her Mom company, while brother Chad was running the office in Beaumont in Chuck’s absence.

     Our hearts ache for Lake Conroe Rotarian Jerry McGuire and his family. Only days before her planned release from the hospital to be home at last, Jerry’s beautiful wife Judy suffered a set back and passed away two weeks ago. Anyone who knew Judy will remember her pretty holiday outfits (I think she had one for every holiday on the calendar) and for her dedication to her community. As I sat in the chapel watching the slide show of her life, I saw lots of smiles in the pews around me – we saw pictures of Judy and Jerry traveling, with their family, at Rotary events, of her as a stunning young woman and bride of 42 years to Jerry.

     Judy’s life was a life well lived, and the photos reminded me of a plaque a friend gave me many years ago that read “Yesterday is only a memory, and tomorrow is only a dream. But today, well lived, makes every yesterday a memory of joy and every tomorrow a vision of hope.”

     Godspeed Judy, you will be missed.

 

To learn more about Rotary, or to submit information for the column, contact Kris via email KRISRCLC@aol.com, Fax (936) 228-0613, Phone (936) 228-5111, VM #3. Also see the Rotary District 5910 website at www.rotary5910.org

 

 

A Rotary Moment

For 10/20/08

Kris Nordstrom McBride

 

 

 

     Plastic grocery bags and sturdy boxes filled the room at the Rotary Club meetings last week, as the clubs in Montgomery County joined together to support “Rotary Week For The Food Bank”.

      The brainchild of Woodlands Rotarian Sheila Dowell, the drive was a great success. Later today, a representative from each of the participating clubs will be meeting at The Montgomery County Food Bank, Conroe location, to deliver the non-perishable food items, along with the cash donations. I hear that more than $2000.00 in cash was raised at the Woodlands Club alone and that amount will increase once the other clubs have delivered their donations.

     Doris Goleman of the MCFB was on hand at The Woodlands Club luncheon meeting Thursday to thank Sheila and Rotarians. Doris, it was our pleasure, and we thank MCFB for being there to support our citizens in need.

    Only one more week to try your luck at winning a brand new 2009 Hyundai from Weisner’s  in Conroe – The Conroe Rotary Club’s annual Rigby Owen Sr. Memorial Raffle and Pancake Supper is almost here! Raffle tickets sell for $100 and include two supper tickets. Tickets for supper only are $10 and free for children under 10.

     The event will be held for the second year at the beautiful facilities in the First Baptist Church in Conroe, 6 p.m. on October 28^th.  To purchase tickets, call Supper Chair Kaye Brouse at 936-760-1410 or any RCC member.

      Please keep our immediate Past District Governor Chuck Mason in your prayers this week. Chuck and wife Becky will be arriving in Houston today from their home in Beaumont. Chuck is set to undergo heart surgery Wednesday or Thursday at St Luke’s in The Medical Center. The Mason’s have long been great supporters of Montgomery County Rotarians, and we wish PDG Chuck a speedy recovery.

     Our hearts ache for Lake Conroe Rotarian Jerry McGuire and his family. Only days before her planned release from the hospital to be home at last, Jerry’s beautiful wife Judy suffered a set back and passed away last weekend. Anyone who knew Judy will remember her pretty holiday outfits (I think she had one for every holiday on the calendar) and for her dedication to her community. As I sat in the chapel watching the slide show of her life, I saw lots of smiles in the pews around me – we saw pictures of Judy and Jerry traveling, with their family, at Rotary events, of her as a stunning young woman and bride of 42 years to Jerry.

     Judy’s life was a life well lived, and the photos reminded me of a plaque a friend gave me many years ago that read “Yesterday is only a memory, and tomorrow is only a dream. But today, well lived, makes every yesterday a memory of joy and every tomorrow a vision of hope.”

     Godspeed Judy, you will be missed.

 

To learn more about Rotary, or to submit information for the column, contact Kris via email KRISRCLC@aol.com, Fax (936) 228-0613, Phone (936) 228-5111, VM #3. Also see the Rotary District 5910 website at www.rotary5910.org

A Rotary Moment
For 10/06/2008
Kris Nordstrom McBride

     The Rotary Club of Lake Conroe’s Los Compadres Golf Tournament and Gala has joined the list of local events to be rescheduled due to Hurricane Ike. Originally scheduled to be held November 14th and 15th , Los Compadres will reappear in the late Spring of 2009, at a date yet to be determined.
     Los Compadres is a massive project, which takes the combined effort of hundreds of volunteers to pull off successfully. RCLC felt it best to rescheduled to allow time for everyone to fully recover from the aftereffects of the storm.
     To raise funds to continue it’s work within the community, RCLC will instead host a Wine Dinner and Auction at Walden Yacht Club the evening of Saturday, November 15th. Under the experienced hand of Walden Chef Rick Adams and many of the same committee members who put together the successful dinners the club hosted in 2003 through 2005, this is a much less complicated event, with less manpower involved.
    The shining star of the Los Compadres Live Auction, the MDA Kids Christmas Light Tour  and Party for pediatric patients at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, will be auctioned at the Wine Dinner. The tour is a labor of love not only for Lake Conroe Rotarians, but for an ever widening circle of helpers throughout the county. For many of us, the Light Tour is the highlight of our holiday season, and all can rest assured that it will continue, uninterupted, for the 2008 Christmas season.
     Details for the dinner will be finalized by October 15th, so save the date and be prepared for an elegant evening of great food and wines.
     Meanwhile, plans for the RC of Conroe’s Annual Rigby Owen, Sr. Memorial Raffle and Pancake Supper continue, thankfully not interupted by Ike. This Conroe classic will be held on October 28th at the First Baptist Church in Conroe, 6 p.m. A time honored tradition in the community, this fundraiser was started by Rigby, Sr. more than 50 years ago.
      Raffle tickets sell for $100 and include two supper tickets. Tickets for supper only are $10  and free for children under 10. The grand prize winner will receive the keys to a 2009 Hyundai from Wiesner in Conroe. Net proceeds from the raffle benefit a long list of RCC community projects. For more information, tag any Conroe Rotarian, or call Kaye Brouse at 936-760-1410.
     Better late than never, our best wishes are extended to newlyweds (Rotarian) Pat Wilson and Dalton Thomas, who tied the knot in an intimate family ceremony at their home over the summer. If two people were ever made for one another, it’s these two lovebirds! Congrats!
     Wonderful news! Judy McGuire, wife of Rotarian Jerry McGuire, is on her way home after a prolonged hospitalization. We are so, so happy for you Judy!
      We have not forgotten you Kassi Cranfill! Kassi continues her rehabilitation at home after a devastating motorcycle accident earlier this year. Kassi’s beautiful smile and amazing spirit are an inspiration to all of us!
      Get well wishes to Rotarian Betty Capel who is under the weather and recovering at home. We’re thinking of you Betty!
          Our hearts and prayers are with a member of our extended Family of Rotary, David Weems, son in law of Rotarian Tony Westlake and wife Janet. David was hospitalized recently after a serious automobile accident, at which time doctors discovered an underlying illness. David will soon be home from M.D. Anderson and will then begin the next phase of his recovery. Our prayers are with David and wife Nicola and their 3 beautiful children, Jessica, Emma and Ethan.

To learn more about Rotary, or to submit information for the column, contact Kris via email KRISRCLC@aol.com, Fax (936) 228-0613, Phone (936) 228-5111, VM #3. Also see the Rotary District 5910 website at www.rotary5910.org




 

A Rotary Moment

For 09/29/08

Kris Nordstrom McBride

 

 

 

     The aftert effects of Hurricane Ike continue to dominate our thoughts this week. Rotary District Governor Elect Fred Sandberg, of the Sante Fe Rotary Club, and Dr Ulli Budlemann of the Galveston RC, worked with Galveston officials to arranged a tour of the disaster area for District Governor Roger McCabe and Past District Governor Hugh Summers. These men will be attending the Rotary Zone Conference in Boise, Idaho this week, where they will make a presentation to Zone and International officials about the devastation in our state, in hopes of bringing home Rotary Grant money to assist first responders and civic groups in the coastal communities in the effort to rebuild the lioves of their residents.

     “We are not experts in the area of disaster” said DG Roger, “ but we know people who are and we are trying to partner with these experts to provide the much needed help for the disaster area.  Following Hurricane Rita, District 5910 established a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) for disaster relief.  An initial donation of $5,000 has been made from the DAF…to the American Red Cross in Anderson County…to help cover the cost of sheltering 475 people after Hurricane Ike swept through Texas.”

     Help has also come from an old friend of Montgomery County Rotarians, Lake Conroe RC Past President Jack Hostetter, who now resides in Virginia. Jack and wife Phyllis have strong ties to our lake community, as their daughter Dr Barbara Ward and her family live in Montgomery.

Jack emailed us immediately after the storm with news that his Rotary District would be sending a contribution of $3000.00 to the DAF. We can’t thank Jack enough for remembering his friends  in Texas and spearheading the effort in District 7600 to help us. Bless you Jack!

     Donations to the Rotary DAF may be made by check to the Texas Area Fund Foundation, Inc., District 5910 Donor Advised Fund and mailed to P. O. Box 1399, Palestine, Texas  75802-1399.

     Disasters and financial crisis brings out the best and the worst in people. We are fortunate to live in a community where more often than not we see the best, but sometimes making ethical  decisions is a challenge. Conroe RC Past President Kenne Turner, always the philosopher and thinker, recently blogged about the importance of Rotary’s “Four Way Test” in today’s world. From price gouging after the storm to the economic crisis our nation faces, these are trying times. This is the story of “The Four Way Test” as told by Nancy Shepherdson in The Rotarian:

     “At any Walgreens drugstore in the United States, you’re likely to see The Four-Way Test hanging on the wall in the manager’s office and in the pharmacy. These plaques are tangible evidence of a philosophy that has guided the company’s corporate culture for decades, championed by Rotarian Charles R. Walgreen Jr., the son of its founder.

     A member of the Rotary Club of Chicago, Walgreen…informally used the test as early as 1947 while serving as president of the drugstore chain…Walgreen first heard of The Four-Way Test from fellow club member Herbert J. Taylor. Taylor came up with the four simple precepts in 1932, when Club Aluminum Company, where he was president, was facing almost certain bankruptcy. In the depths of the Depression, no one was buying much aluminum. But Taylor thought that if he could convince his employees to do the right thing in every situation, they might at least win sales from their competitors. ‘So one morning,’ he would often recount, ‘I leaned over my desk, rested my head in my hands. In a few moments, I reached for a white paper card and wrote down what had come to me – in 24 words:

1.    Is it the TRUTH?
2.    Is it FAIR to All Concerned?
3.    Will it Build GOODWILL and Better Friendships?
4.    Will it Be BENEFICIAL to All Concerned?”

     “Putting the test to work, five years later, despite the continuing depression, the business was able to pay off $400,000 of debt with interest and distribute over a million dollars in dividends to stockholders” said Kenne “Let The 4-Way Test be your truth compass.”

     Thanks Dr Turner, for a timely reminder.

 

 

To learn more about Rotary, or to submit information for the column, contact Kris via email KRISRCLC@aol.com, Fax (936) 228-0613, Phone (936) 228-5111, VM #3. Also see the Rotary District 5910 website at www.rotary5910.org

 

A Rotary Moment
For 9/22/08
Kris Nordstrom McBride


   
     For the first time in a week, our lights are on and the hum of generators in our neighborhood has ceased, replaced by the sound of chain saws and leaf blowers as we clean our yards and right our patio furniture.
     For a few days, our lives in the Lake Conroe area were altered; we were without conveniences we too often take for granted; many of us fired up our outdoor grills to provide warm meals for our families from the thawed meats in our freezers. Our county did a great job of helping those in need. While it was no picnic, we must certainly count ourselves amongst the fortunate ones in this part of our fair state.
     Elsewhere within Rotary District 5910, it will be weeks, months, perhaps years before life returns to normal. Our district includes the coastal counties of Galveston, Jefferson and Orange, which run from Galveston Island to the Louisiana border. All of these counties are disaster areas and eighteen of our forty-two clubs are located within them. Our extended Family of Rotary from across Texas have opened their homes to displaced Rotarians from the Gulf Coast area. District 5910 Rotarians living in the coastal communities who are host families for Exchange Students sheltered in the unaffected areas of our district to keep the teens far from the storm and out of harms way. As best we know at present, all Rotarians and their families are safe.
     Now the work must begin to repair the hearts, homes and businesses of the residents of The Gulf Coast. District 5910 has established a Donor Advised Fund to help the effected communities. Clubs in the district can request monies from the fund to assist their local first responders, church groups and others providing assistance and necessities to those in need within their neighborhoods.
     Donations to the Rotary Donor Advised Fund may be made by check, payable to Texas Area Fund Foundation, Inc., for credit to the Rotary District 5910 Donor Advised Fund. This is a 501(c) (3) foundation and the contributions are tax deductible. Mail donations to: District 5910 Past District Governor (PDG) Hugh Summers, P. O. Box 1399, Palestine, Texas 75802-1399.
     On a local level, all of our clubs cancelled their meetings last week, of course, and some may have to do the same again this week, depending upon power and food availability at our meeting places, so please check with the individual club presidents before leaving to attend a meeting.
     I’ve received several calls and emails from folks asking how Memory Park faired in the high winds of Ike. We’re very happy to report very little damage to the landscape, and no damage of any sort to the hardscape or memorials. We had a few of the newly planted trees that were uprooted, but all have been restaked and secured, and broken tree limbs and leaf debris have been cleared away. We brought the fountain and waterfall down before the storm to lesson the possibility of damage to the pumps when power is restored, and they will remain down until the community is back on it’s feet. All in all, these are minor things, and Memory Park is open and all are invited to take a respite from your recovery efforts and walk the shaded paths and relax.
     
To learn more about Rotary, or to submit information for the column, contact Kris via email KRISRCLC@aol.com, Fax (936) 228-0613, Phone (936) 228-5111, VM #3. Also see the Rotary District 5910 website at www.rotary5910.org

A Rotary Moment
For 9/08/08
Kris Nordstrom McBride

     Congressman Kevin Brady was the guest speaker at the Rotary Club of Lake Conroe’s special breakfast meeting at the Charles B Stewart Library in Montgomery on August 28th. The Congressman, also a Rotarian (from The Woodlands), spoke on energy needs and possible solutions for our country.
     After his talk, Rotarians led The Congressman on a guided tour of Memory Park. Mr. Brady has been a supporter of the park, sending a representative to the opening day ceremonies on June 28th, but until now, had not seen the park in person. Declaring the facility “much more than I imagined”, he promised to return with his family soon.
     We’ve just received this news flash from Anne Sundquist, past president of the RC of Magnolia and head honcho of the Magnolia Area Chamber of Commerce:
     “ The Rotary Club of Magnolia is talking trash!  That talk will take place Saturday, September 20, beginning at 8:00 AM. Volunteers will meet at the Magnolia Depot Park for the service opportunity sponsored by the Rotary Club.  Individuals and groups are invited to pitch in to make Magnolia a more beautiful place to live and work.  Students who volunteer will receive community service hours for their efforts.
     There’s more:  The first 120 volunteers who arrive will receive free T-shirts.  At noon Chick-fil-A will provide lunch for all volunteers.  Prizes will be given for groups with the most team members and the most trash collected.
     A project of the Rotary Club (of Magnolia), the following businesses are sponsoring the event:  Caliche, Ltd, Grayson Financial Services, and Shady Brook Animal Hospital, as well as Rose Financial Group and the Magnolia Area Chamber of Commerce.
      Plan to start at the historic depot part to obtain assignments and supplies.  For questions, you may contact the Chamber, 281-356-1488, or the city, 281-36-2266.”
     Save The Date! The Woodlands Rotary Club Foundation's Third Annual Wine Dinner has been scheduled for Friday, March 6, 2009. Although the winemakers for the event have not been confirmed, you can bet it will be an exciting evening. This is also the first time the dinner is being held on a Friday night, making the “morning after” a little less traumatic.
     The RC of The Woodlands quarterly blood drive August 28th was a great success. Once again, Chair Sharon Conway did a great job of organizing the event. Many, many lives were saved in a few short hours. Thanks to all who participated.
     Congratulations to Debby and Bob Evans, great friends of Rotary, who hosted a successful Muscular Dystrophy Fundraiser at their restaurant, Debby’s Prime Steaks and Seafood, on August 28th. Lots of Rotarians were in the crowd, including Celebrity Waiters Judge Barb Sadler, Commissioner Craig Doyle and Sheriff Tommy Gage. True to form, Bob and Debby not only supported MDA that night, but by evening’s end they sat with us to discuss plans for future charity work too. The world is a better place because of these awesome people and our community owes them a great debt of gratitude. We raise our glasses to you two!

To learn more about Rotary, or to submit information for the column, contact Kris via email KRISRCLC@aol.com, Fax (936) 228-0613, Phone (936) 228-5111, VM #3. Also see the Rotary District 5910 website at www.rotary5910.org

A Rotary Moment

For 8/25/08

Kris Nordstrom McBride

 

 

 

     Montgomery County Rotarians welcome District 5910’s new Governor Roger and First Lady Sharon McCabe to the community this week. The McCabe’s will visit with The Rotary Clubs of Conroe, Huntsville and The Woodlands during this swing through the county. They will return next week to visit with The Lake Conroe Club, saving East Montgomery County and Magnolia for later in the month.

     Governor Roger will carry Rotary International President D.K. Lee’s message of “Make Dreams Real”, the Rotary theme for 2008/2009, to local Rotarians, with particular emphasis this year on reducing child mortality rates and improving the lives of children both in our communities and around the world. Welcome Roger and Sharon!

     The Rotary Club of Lake Conroe will move it’s weekly breakfast meeting, for this Thursday only, to The Charles B Stewart Library in Montgomery. Walden Chef Rick Adams and his staff will move with the club for the day, providing a deluxe continental breakfast for all attending. Congressman Kevin Brady will be the guest speaker, and after the meeting he will tour Memory Park, adjacent to the library, for the first time.

      County Commissioner Craig Doyle was the guest speaker at the RC of the Woodlands last week. Commissioner Doyle spoke of the work being done on projects in Precinct 2, leveraging their activities in getting more value for the money spent.

     As the beginning of the school year approaches, the football coaches for the five high schools in Conroe ISD – Glenn Hill (Caney Creek HS), Roger Holtkamp (Conroe HS), Mark Schmidt (The Woodlands HS), Ronnie Peacock, Richard Carson (College Park HS), and Bob Barrett (Oak Ridge HS), along with CISD Athletic Director Ronnie Peacock – spoke together at The Woodlands Club, saying their football programs are really putting an emphasis on student development this year. Each was presented a “good luck memento” from WRC Prez Bill Leigh.

      Save the date! The RC of Conroe has announced that their annual Pancake Supper and Reverse Raffle Fundraiser will be held October 28^th this year. This supper is one of the longest running – and most successful – fundraisers in the community. Don’t miss it!

     District 5910’s Group Study Exchange Group will head to Argentina next year, and applications for a Rotarian team leader and Non-Rotarian team members are now being accepted.

      “ The Group Study Exchange (GSE) program is a unique cultural and vocational exchange opportunity for young business and professional men and women between the ages of 25 and 40 and in the early years of their professional lives”, says Outbound GSE Chair Kenne Turner. “The program provides travel grants for teams to exchange visits between paired areas in different countries. For approximately four weeks, team members will experience Argentina's institutions and ways of life, observe their own vocations as practiced abroad, develop personal and professional relationships, and exchange ideas. “

     For more information on GSE, including application forms, see the District website at www.rotary5910.org and contact Kenne at kenneturner@yahoo.com.

     The Family of Rotary sends its condolences to Woodlands Rotarian Gordon McGinley, who lost his mother Rebecca McGinley August 16^th  after a brief illness. She passed away at age 96. Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire McGinley family.

 

To learn more about Rotary, or to submit information for the column, contact Kris via email KRISRCLC@aol.com, Fax (936) 228-0613, Phone (936) 228-5111, VM #3. Also see the Rotary District 5910 website at www.rotary5910.org

 

 

 

 

 

A Rotary Moment

For 08/18/2008

Kris Nordstrom McBride

            Past District Governor Dr Max Morley of the RC of Nacogdoches and the District’s Polio Chair presented an update to Rotary International’s Polio Eradication Program to the RC of The Woodlands on August 8^th. There are now less than 350 new polio cases each year, and those are contained in Nigeria, Afghanistan, India, and Pakistan. This has been accomplished through  Rotary’s partnership with The World Health Organization, The Gates Foundation and other groups around the globe.

             The RC of the Woodlands will host it’s quarterly Blood Drive on Thursday, August 28, in a donor coach in the Woodlands Resort & Conference Center parking lot. Please contact Blood Drive Chair Sharon Conway, (281) 681-2230, SConway@SConwayLaw.com,  to donate.

            Dr. Lynwood P. Randolph, retired NASA aerospace scientist and a member of The RC of The Woodlands, was recently selected to serve on the Board of Directors for the Harvard Business School (HBS) Alumni Association. This International Board communicates to Harvard the “interests and concerns of HBS alumni worldwide, proposes actions to enhance the well-being of HBS alumni and encourages communication of the School's activities, priorities and educational resources to the alumni.” Our congrats to Lyn for this well deserved honor.

     Get well wishes to Rotarian Wayne Hickman, who has not only been under the weather the last few weeks, but is also having shoulder surgery this week. Ouch! Take care Wayne – we miss you!

       We extend our sympathies to a great friend of Rotary, Lion Kenny Speight, who recently lost his father Joe Walker Speight. He was an inspiration to Kenny and his family. Mr. Speight’s favorite quote was “Life is not measured by its duration, but rather by its donation. We are not measured by the distance we travel, but by the difference we make.” Kenny and wife Linda’s daughter Angela was a member of our district’s outgoing Group Study Exchange Team to France last year and that “can-do, enjoy life” spirit of Mr. Speight’s was evident. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Speight family.

 

To learn more about Rotary, or to submit information for the column, contact Kris via email KRISRCLC@aol.com, Fax (936) 228-0613, Phone (936) 228-5111, VM #3. Also see the Rotary District 5910 website at www.rotary5910.org

 

 

A Rotary Moment

For 08/11/08

Kris Nordstrom McBride

 

 

     I’ve been spending a lot of time in Houston lately, staying with my girlfriend Linda a few days at a time to save the expense of driving back and forth so much. Two of my clients have opened new restaurants within a few weeks of each other and I’m dashing between the two locations getting all of the accounting systems set up and training the bookkeeping staff.

      I’m feeling a bit distanced from the world of Rotary in Montgomery County, with a schedule too tight to even do a make-up at a local club.  But as I look out the window this morning, coffee cup in hand, laptop at the ready, waiting to become inspired, I see my son’s best friend Ron, who lives near by, out for a walk with his wife and their two young children, Sophie and Nick.

     The last time I saw this family they were at Memory Park for the opening day festivities. They had stopped at one of the educational signs along the trail and Ingrid was reading to the kids; their eyes were wide as she read the story of Memory Pond that Peter Wakefield had written. Here’s ”It’s All In A Niche”:

     “When we look at a pond or lake, we see the surface of the water and the plants growing; occasionally we might be lucky enough to see a bird or animal visit for a drink; maybe a turtle will sun itself on a log or a snake will swim in the water.  We see all these things and think we have seen the pond.  In reality, this is only a tiny fraction of the pond, a two dimensional picture, with 99% of what is there hidden from view.  What we do not see is one of the most amazing and complex ecosystems in the world.  

            All organisms, from simple bacteria to humans, live in a Niche.  A Niche is an area or environment in which the organism has evolved in or adapted to. A Niche can be as large as an entire ocean or as small as a millimeter or two of mud at the bottom of a pond.  In every square inch of Memory Pond, an organism has evolved to fill that space and live out its life there.  A Bass may roam all over, moving from the deepest part to the shallows.  A crawfish may live its entire life in an area on the bottom of the pond no bigger then 10’ by 10’.  Worms, living deep in the mud at the bottom may never move more the 1’ from the point where they hatched.  

            From the deepest layer of mud to the plants that line the banks, some type of organism calls that area home.  A cattail plant, living in a few inches of water along the bank, may support a wide variety of animals.  Worms, nematodes, insect larva and countless bacteria can live in and among the roots and underwater stems.  Other insects will live on the leaves above the water, while others live on the flowers and seedpods.  One plant, which has found its own niche around the edge of the pond, in turn, provides niches for hundreds of other organisms. 

            Sit a spell. Take it all in. Hear the sounds of nature. Watch carefully enough, and you just may get to see some of the plants and animals that call Memory Pond home. You will be amazed! Then, when you turn to leave and return home to your Niche, remember, no matter how many of the pond’s residents you were lucky enough to meet, you only saw a fraction of all those who live here. It’s a Beautiful Thing! Come Back Soon!”     

      Hope you’ll take the opportunity soon to do just that…one or two more weeks, and I’ll be there too!  

   

To learn more about Rotary, or to submit information for the column, contact Kris via email KRISRCLC@aol.com, Fax (936) 228-0613, Phone (936) 228-5111, VM #3. Also see the Rotary District 5910 website at www.rotary5910.org

A Rotary Moment

For 08/04/2008

Kris Nordstrom McBride

 

 

     The dog days of summer have not kept Rotary Assistant Governor Rose Austin inside – she’s been burning a lot of rubber these days. AG Rose – a member of the RC of East Montgomery County, who is also the District Governor Nominee for 2010/2011 – has all of the clubs in Montgomery County in her Cluster Group. In addition to attending many of the installations in June, she has scheduled speaking engagements at each of the clubs too.

     AG Rose was also in attendance at the South Central Rotary Youth Exchange (SCRYE) meeting on Saturday, July 18 at South Shore Harbor Resort in League City. This is the first time our District has ever hosted the SCRYE Conference, and South Shore did a great job.

     SCRYE is an organization of 40 Rotary districts whose purpose is to assist member districts with organizing and promoting their programs and with training their Rotary volunteers who work in Rotary Youth Exchange. The conferences provide information and assistance to all who are interested in the program, whether a beginner or a seasoned worker.

     Eleven Rotarians from our District attended and shared ideas about both the long and short-term student exchanges, and discussed local club compliance, working with host families, and building relations with the students.

     All clubs in our District are encouraged to host an Exchange Student each year and I believe that four of our MC Clubs will do just that for the 2008/2009 school term – the Woodlands, Conroe, Lake Conroe will each host long term exchange students, and East Montgomery County will both host and send a student for the short term summer exchange.  

     The East Montgomery County Improvement District will hold its annual Back to School Bash on Thursday, September 4, where they will distribute 500 backpacks to needy students. The RC of East Montgomery County will be participating by bringing items for those backpacks. 

     Sadly, we have condolences to send to several Rotarians this week --- Aurea Castro, mother of Lake Conroe Rotarian Mike Castro passed away July26th; Karen Collins, daughter of The Conroe Club’s long time Executive Secretary Sue Collins, died in a tragic accident on July 20^th.

We send our thoughts and prayers to both families.

     Judy McGuire, wife of Lake Conroe Rotarian Jerry McGuire, has begun rehab after a very frightening and sudden illness nine weeks ago. Jerry tells us that Judy now has a second floor room with a huge window overlooking the beautiful trees in Shenandoah, an environment much better suited for replenishing the spirit than a hospital room. Judy is an awesome lady. We miss her presence at our gatherings and can’t wait to have her back with us. We are sending all our positive energy your way Judy!

     Kassi Cranfill, daughter of Lake Conroe Rotarian Barbara Adamick, continues to make steady progress in her rehab, recovering from a devastating accident last January. Kassi is at home now, working everyday to get a bit stronger. She attended the June 28^th wedding of Kathy Kushner and Jeff Wheat, where her bright eyes and beautiful smile lit up the room. Kassi, Barbara – we keep you in our prayers!

 

To learn more about Rotary, or to submit information for the column, contact Kris via email KRISRCLC@aol.com, Fax (936) 228-0613, Phone (936) 228-5111, VM #3. Also see the Rotary District 5910 website at www.rotary5910.org

 

A Rotary Moment

For 7/28/08

Kris Nordstrom McBride

 

 

     “Make Dreams Real” is the Rotary International theme for 2008/2009. What a wonderful quest this should be for Rotarians around the world – to work within our local communities and within the global community to help people realize their dreams. New RI President B.K. Lee has asked us to place particular emphasis on the children of the world this year. This is an excerpt from his July address to Rotarians:

     “The beginning of the Rotary year is always an exciting time…a new theme to work with, and a renewed sense of purpose for our service projects…I ask you to consider the millions of children who never even have the chance to dream. Every day, more than 26,000 children under the age of five die from preventable causes. As appalling as that number is, it is a decrease from the figure of 30,000 that first caught my attention and spurred me to bring this matter of grave concern to Rotarians.

     UNICEF’s State of the World’s Children 2008 report states that ‘by 2006, the most recent year for which firm estimates are available, the annual number of child deaths globally fell below 10 million, to 9.7 million, for the first time since records began.’ I would guess that some of the improvement in child survival rates can be directly attributed to Rotary projects that have been successfully addressing problems related to health, hunger, water, and literacy for a number of years now. So I asked myself: ‘what would happen if 1.2 million Rotarians focused their service efforts on keeping even more children alive?’

     I think we already know some of the answers. If Rotarians provide insecticide-treated bed nets, fewer children will succumb to malaria. If we dig wells and address sanitation problems, more children will have clean water to drink and more hygienic surroundings. And if Rotary clubs carry out effective nutrition projects, we can save some of the almost five million children who die each year from undernourishment.

     UNICEF estimates that fully two-thirds of the 9.7 million deaths in 2006 were preventable. With Rotarians working to provide vaccines, oral rehydration therapies, accessible health care for mothers and newborns, and other relatively simple interventions, I’m confident that many more babies will not only survive but go on to live healthy, productive lives.

     Let’s “Make Dreams Real” by giving these children the chance to grow up and have dreams of their own.”

     On a local level, you will see the Montgomery County Clubs strengthening their programs for children in need, such as the RC of Conroe’s Dental Program. We’ll be adding projects to enrich the lives of local children, such as the Children’s Wall in Memory Park that the RC of Lake Conroe will begin later this year, to celebrate the joys of childhood. The RC of The Woodlands will continue its work in the parks in South County, where children come each day to play.

     “Make Dreams Real” – sounds like a Beautiful Thing to me!

 

To learn more about Rotary, or to submit information for the column, contact Kris via email KRISRCLC@aol.com, Fax (936) 228-0613, Phone (936) 228-5111, VM #3. Also see the Rotary District 5910 website at www.rotary5910.org

 

 

 

 

 

A Rotary Moment

For 07/07/08

Kris Nordstrom McBride

 

 

  “Built it and they will come” it is said, and such was certainly the case on Saturday, June 28^th, when the long awaited opening of Memory Park became a reality.

   More than 500 people walked the pathways of the new park, adjacent to the Chares B Stewart Library in Montgomery. During the day, while Mike McDougal cooked hot dogs served up by a host of Rotarians and other volunteers, children scurried about, exploring every inch of the park. From the face painting – courtesy of the National Charity League in Montgomery – to the balloon animals to the moonwalks, to feeding the fish in the pond, the children had much to keep them busy.

     Under a too small tent Diane Whiteley, Lorrie Parker and Cheyenne, Pat Davis and other volunteers from the Conroe Art League had a steady stream of children lined up to dip their hands in colorful paints to create unique tiles which will form the panels of the Children’s Wall to be built in Phase Two of the park. Daltile donated not only the 200 tiles for opening day, but promised hundreds more to continue the project over the course of the next year. (Please contact me if your school or group would like to be involved). Diane’s friend Melanie Small definitely deserves a medal for her beautiful photographs of all 196 of the kiddos with their tiles. What a feat! (Special note to young Julia Fitzcharles, 6 years old – your picture for the paper is not available yet, but I did not forget you).

     After 5 p.m. the tables were draped with champagne colored linens and local chefs took center stage as another 250 invited guests came to christen the park. This group included donors, dignitaries and supporters, all entertained by The Dry