ROTARY CLUB OF CONROE -- CARING and SHARING - Archieve

MAY 13TH LUNCHEON TAKS PLACE AT CONROE FAMILY YMCA

Rotarians got a close look at one of their funded literacy programs, TAKS Force at the Conroe Family YMCA, where their weekly luncheon was held May 13th. The program is designed to motivate elementary school students to do well on the TAKS test by providing an opportunity to spend a day at the Y's Camp Owen. On this particular day students from Austin Elementary were experiencing the camp's many outdoor activities. Spectrum and Borden’s provided lunch.

NEW ROTARIAN, DORIS GOLEMAN PRESENTED THE MAY 6TH PROGRAM ON THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY FOOD BANK. AS CONCERNED CITIZENS, ROTARIANS ARE AWARE OF THE GROWING COST OF FOOD AND THE IMPACT IT IS HAVING ON NEEDY. YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT THE NEED AND HOW YOU CAN HELP MEET THE NEED. VISIT THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY FOOD BANK WEB SITE. (CLICK HERE)

Past-President Doris Lockey & District 5910 Governor Chuch Mason

(Go to http://kenneturner.wordpress.com

for more information and links to photo sets.)

New Roll of Fame Member,

Doris Lockey

Past President, Doris Lockey, was honored Saturday evening by become the 10th Rotary District 5910 "Roll of Fame" member from the Rotary Club of Conroe. This recognition could not go to a more deserving person. Doris’s work in the club and the district demonstrates what it means to be a Rotarian (Service Above Self) in Rotary International’s second century.

CONGRATULATIONS, DORIS!

Image from the Honor Flight Network Web Site

Lone Star Honor Flight

After listening to a presentation given by Brenda Beaven and Duane McFadden (Montgomery Junior High School) on Lone Star Honor Flight, club members pledged almost enough money to cover the cost of flying four veterns to see the WW II Memorial in Washington, DC. The cost per veteran is $600. You can view a CBS video clip on Honor Flight by clicking here.

Lone Star Honor Flight is a non-profit Montgomery County community effort to send all WW II veterans to Washington, DC. The first Lone Star Honor Flight is scheduled this May. Rotary Members interesting in pledging additional money can do so by contacting us. Your pledge will be included in your next quaterly statement. The Club will total the pledges and send a check to Lone Star Honor Flight. A special thanks to those Rotarians who have already pledged/contributed.

The Other Exchange Student

We know much about our exchange student from Germany, Martin Meis. However, we have another exchange student from Conroe to Germany, Hope Arensdorf. Hope is a very enthusiastic young woman who recently learned that she has been accepted at Texas A&M University. “And you cannot imagine HOW STINKING HAPPY I AM!!,” she shared in a recent email. “And relieved, and glad, and joyful and super extremely thankful, and totally excited I am! It's simply soooo wonderful to hear.”

Click here for a message from Hope.

Interact Club Spring Project

The Conroe High School Interact Club will be collecting shoes to send to "third-world nations" for their project this spring. More details will be forthcoming after their next meeting, February 21st.

Past-Governor John Germany -- Children Pumping Water in Nicaragua

Club's Money Well Spent in Nicaragua

Seven Rotarians from District 5910, including current RCC president, Kenne Turner, made a quick trip (November 4-7) to Nicaragua to see first hand how effective the money coming from our district was being spent to help provide much needed water to many rural communities in one of the poorest countries in this hemosphere. Click here for more information on the Water Project and the Rainbow Network. A Water Project page will be added to this web site soon.

Ron Boulware and Lauren Veronie

Willis High School Graduate an

Ambassadorial Scholarship

Lauren Vernoie, currently working on her doctorate in Euphonium Performance at the University of North Texas, has been selected to receive a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship for the 2009-10 academic year. Lauren has excellent ambassadorial qualities and we are pleased to be able to sponsor her.

Fred Greer, Bill Hanover and Joan Simek

April Is Membership Drive Month

Several activities are planned to help encourage members to bring in new members to the Club. Although we remain a strong club with 75 years of doing many things for the Conroe area, as of January of this year we had sixty-five members, down from 104 in 2001. Our goal is to at least get back to the number in which we began the year, eighty-one. Let’s make this campaign the most successful in history.

Governor-Elect, Roger McCabe

Training for 2008-09 District Chairs

Doris Lockey (Publicity & Public Relations) and

Kenne Turner (Group Study Exchange-Sending)

attended training, held Saturday, March 1st

at Montgomery High School,

for incoming Governor Roger McCabe's

Leadership Team.

A BIG THANKS

to all who contributed time, food and blood!

(Go to Photo Album Page for Additional Photos)

Another Opportunity to Show We Care

The top of this page reads, "Rotary Club of Conroe -- Caring and Sharing." We have so many opportunities to show we care and share, not the least of which is by coming to the support of one of our fellow Rotarians. There is a planned fundraiser (Barbecue to be held Sunday, April 20^th, 11:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the fairgounds) for Barbara’s Adamick's daughter, Kassi. To help, our club is working with the Rotary Club of Lake Conroe to auction off a Wine Barrow. Members are encouraged to participate by contributing a bottle of wine. We will be collecting the bottles over the next several weeks at our weekly luncheon meetings. The Wine Barrow will be from Rotarians in Montgomery County. Please pass this information on to friends and associates.

Foster Madeley, Rigby Owen, Kenne Turner and Governor Chuck Mason

(Chick Here to See Photo Album)

"Still Ticking After 75 Years"

The Rotary Club of Conroe and the Rotary Four-Way Test share a common anniversary, each having been conceived in 1932. The current issue of Rotary's magazine, "Rotarian," has as its cover-story, the Four-Way Test, and on August 30th Rotarians throughout District 5910 got together to celebrate RCC's 75 years of service above self.

Although not announced, the generally accepted theme of the evening was sharing memories, which in turned created many new memories for many tomorrow's. For more information on the celebration, read Kris McBride's A Rotary Moment.

The Club was honored with respect and friendship. Our appreciation goes out to all who help make this an evening to remember.

Thank you all so very much!  

State Representative, Brandon Creighton

Legislative Update

At the February 5th luncheon, State Representative, Brandon Creighton provided a legislative update and answered questions from the members present.

Conroe Mayor Tommy Mecalf Presented

a State of the City Report

Dr Jack McCukkough

Medica Mission to Peru

Past-District Governor Jack McCullough gave a presentation on his medical mession to Peru.  He took 10,000 viles of medicine to underprivileged children living near the Amazon River. Click here  to see photo album.

Photo College of Rotarians at the Pineywoods Campgrounds

Preparing for the January 4-5 2008 RYLA Program (Photo Set)

Supporting RYLA

Most all clubs in District 5910 participate in RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) and this year looks to have one of the largest classes yet.  Approximate 220 high school juniors are committed to attending in January.  This number increases the need for Rotary member participation.  Consider scheduling some of your time helping our future leaders improve their leadership skills.  Contact us.

Conroe Area Clubs Support Youth By Partnering

with the Conroe Family YMCA

Rather than having their regular morning meeting on Thursday, September 27, 2007, the Rotary Club of Lake Conroe met in the evening at the YMCA's Camp Owen recognize the "Leap of Faith" program and support from area Rotary Clubs. Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Conroe and the Rotary Club of The Woodlands were also in attendance.

This a very special program for very special children. Click here  to see additional photos.  See also, Kris McBride's October 1, 2007 A Rotary Moment for more information on last Thursday's event.

Martin Meis Having His First Tex/Mex Food

Our Youth Exchange Student Has Arrived

Doris Lockey along with the host family met Martin Meis at Bush Intercontinental on Wednesday, August 15, 3007.  Martin arrived with another student from Germany who is being hosted by the Huntsville Club.  After meeting the students at the airport, the group had lunch at a Mexican restaurant.  Welcome Martin!

Photo by Beth Bolack (Click on Photo to See Album)

RCC Board Members Received Their Pins at the

July 24th Luncheon.

Allen Johnson Signs the Children's Book

Each Week the RCC Gives a Book to Runyan Elementary in the Name of Our Guest Presenter.

President Elect, Kenne Turner Presents Plaque to Out-Going President,

Doris Lockey

2007/08 Rotary Board Installed in

Ceremony at River Plantation

(See Album)

The Rotary Club of Conroe Presents Their Annual Spring Fund Raising Event for

Community Needs Projects

Contact Us for More Information

or

Call Kenne Turner

713-252-9667

J.R. Moore Provides a Tax Assessment Update

County Tax Assessor-Collector was the April 24th program.  In his presentation, he provided a tax assessment update for the luncheon audience.

April 3rd Luncheon Meeting

Much is happening in the Club this month, some of which was talked about at the luncheon and most of which is covered in our web site. Take a few minutes to scope out the site.

At today's luncheon, Secret Service Special Agent Lee Smart presented a very informative program on "Safeguarding Against Counterfeiting."  In addition, there was an update on Interact activities.

Camp Owen, Conroe YMCA

FOCUSING ON CHILDREN'S EXPECTATIONS

TAKS F.O.R.C.E (Focusing on Raising Children's Expectations) is an incentive based program focusing on third and fourth grade children in lower income and minority communities.  This initiative was piloted as a Partners program of the Conroe FamilyYMCA at Creighton and Runyan Elementary Schools last year.

This year, our Club is working with the YMCA to bring the TAKS F.O.R.C.E program to 4th graders at Ben Milam Elementary School.  We were awarded a District Simplified Grant (DSG) last fall that will cover part of the program cost.

The program will help students learn to set and achieve personal and educational goals.  There are incentives to earn TAKS bucks that will be redeemed at the 4/25/07 trip back to YMCA.  Doing their homework, attending school and improving on the practice TAKS test will earn bucks.  As an example, 5 bucks may buy a pony ride or 2 bucks will get a canoe ride, etc.

The students will be going to the YMCA April 5th. Rotarians are invited to come, learn more about the program and help support the Ben Milam Students.

2007 Lone Star P.E.T.S

John Denton (President-Nominee) & Kenne Turner (President-Elect) attended the 2007 Lone Star PETS at the D-FW Hyatt Regency, March 23rd - March 25th. While in one of our discussion sessions, Wilf Wilkinson, RI President for 2007-2008, made a surprise visit with our discussion group.  President-Elect Wilkinson is from Ontario, Canada and his theme for 22-2008 is "Rotary Shares". (See above photo. An album of photos will be put on the site later.)

March 20, 2007 Program

Gary Long presented a program on  Marriage Encounter , a unique world-wide program that re-energizes marriage relationships.

Also in attendance were the off ricers of the Conroe High School Interact Club.

March 6th Program Recognizes the

RCC Dental Program

Ralph Cooley and former Rotarian, Earl Hammit spoke of the program's service to the community and its history as a one-of-a-kind Rotary program.  The $17,000 budgeted for this program comes from fund raising events, such as the 2nd Annual Casino Night, May 19, 2007. 

Participating dentists attending the luncheon were Cliff Atwood,

Jess N. Legg, Julie A. Martinez and Carrie Muzny.

Coach Frank Romero Speaks to Club

The February 27, 2007 luncheon speaker was Conroe HS baseball coach, Frank Ramero.  Couch Romero updated the club members on past CHS players and provided an early season  status report.

CLUB BLOOD DRIVE

The RCC collected a total of 85 units as a result of its 2007 Annual Blood Drive.  A big THANKS to all who participated.

Trip to Antarctica

RCC member Claude Cooke gave a very informative and interesting presentation on the cruise he, his wife and grandson took to Antarctica earlier this year.

Ambassadorial Scholar. Paige Foltemann and her husband.

Club Accepting Applications for

The Rotary World Peace Fellowship and

Ambassadorial Scholarship Programs

The February 19th  A Rotary Moment  by Kris McBride is about these two RI programs.  Our District is urging clubs to make an effort to promote these programs and submit applications.  There are only 60 awards each year. 

February 6, 2007 Program

Conroe Symphony League

Celebrity Conductor Contest

Conroe High School Students

Attend RYLA

The January 23rd program was given by the five students that attended the annual RYLA  (Rotary Youth Leadership Award) program, held each January in the deep east Texas woods.  For four of the five students, (Marissa Mathews, Guynh Hguyen, Yi Ahen Tsai and Cristina Y'Barbo), this was their first time to attend the student leadership event.  Gilbert Lopez returned again this year as one of eighteen student counselors (Alumni Leaders) selected from last years RYLA students.  Each student shared a little of his/her experience with Club members. Ralph Cooley, who coordinates the Club's RYLA program, also spoke to the Club.

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A FUN NIGHT FOR EVERYONE

Raffle/Pancake Supper

Raises Over

$48,000

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October 22, 2006 Program

Tuesday's program was presented by Jean Knapp.

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Past Raffle/Pancake Supper Honorees Curtis Williams, Harold Cryar &

Rigby Owen Continue to Be Great Supporters of This Annual Event.

WEEK THREE TOTAL, $22,400

(Click Here for More Information.)

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Termite Watkins 

"It's All About Commitment and Passion!"

Maurice “Termite” Watkins always loved a good fight. At ten years of age and a scrawny 65 pounds, he already knew what he wanted to be a champion. With very little natural athletic ability, he reached his goals through sheer determination and perseverance. At age sixteen, Termite became the nation’s youngest national Golden Gloves champion.

 A riveting motivational speaker, Termite presented his story of overcoming obstacles in leading an Iraq team to the Olympics, to the Rotary Club of Conroe this past Tuesday, October 10, 2006.

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District Governor, Jack McCullough and wife ElaRuth visit the Rotary Club of Conroe. 

"Your club is one of the best in the district."

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Photo: Paige Foltermann and her counselor, Priya.

(Additional photos from Paige will be placed in a Photo Album later.)

Paige's Multi-Cultural Fiji Experience

"When I first learned about my opportunity to study under the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship program, I knew that I would get the experience of a lifetime.  What I did not know was how deep and profound the experience would be, and how much it would change me in so little time."

"... My studies have progressed well since the semester started.  It was difficult at first, as even the tiniest thing could take three times as long as it would at home. ... I also had a lot of trouble conveying my thoughts in writing to a professor who was not a native English speaker.  I was frustrated and lost, but was determined to learn my way around this new and strange place in Fiji."   ...continuing

Fund Raising: Week Two

After two weeks of teamwork, the Club has generated over $17,000 toward a goal of $48,000, with three weeks remaining.  Team 3 already has a big jump on the other teams with $7,100 in commitments and pledges.  To reach our goal, each team will need to average over $5,000, or about $1,666 per week. This is very doable!  Also, remember to ask for donations to the Rotary Club of Conroe Foundation when someone is not interested in buying tickets.  It's all about raising money for the RCC Foundation, which in turn allows us to continue being of service to youth needs in our community.