Welcome Note
President Wendy called the meeting to order and welcomed our Guests.
Bill Hatch ably led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Position Statement from Rotary International
Mike Weaver delivered an insightful Inspirational Moment: Rotary’s Response to the U.S’s Plan to Withdraw from the WHO, USAID Funding Freeze.
Rotary notes the recent announcement that the United States intends to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO), a partner in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). We remain resolute in our mission to eradicate polio.As a founding partner of the GPEI, Rotary has for decades worked closely with all the GPEI partners, the U.S. government, and other governments to end polio worldwide. This effort has reduced the number of children paralyzed by polio by 99.9 % since 1988. The global effort to eradicate polio has innovated many times over the years to come close to protecting every last child.
Although this decision creates new challenges, Rotary remains dedicated to ensuring that every child is protected from this preventable disease. We are confident that the GPEI will continue to adapt, to innovate, and to implement effective strategies to keep polio vaccines available for every child in the United States and around the world, especially those in the mose challenging and remote regions. The most important decisions leading to polio free world are made every day by parents who present their children for vaccination.
We remain committed to working with all GPEI partners to fulfill the promise of a polio-free world. Together, we have ended smallpox, and together, we can ensure that polio becomes the second humanj disease to be eradicated from the planet.
Rotary has collaborated with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) since 2009 on different types of programs. Our current programmatic efforts and communications with USAID personnel and leadership are on hold due to the stop-work order issued by USAID. Rotary International has already notified members who projects are directly impacted by this order and is working to continue to support them in their impactful work.
We are navigating the implications of the recent stop-work order issued for Hearts of Europe projects that are part of a partnership with USAID. All projects that are currently in an implementation phase have been notified and given information about what actions need to be taken while the stop-work order is in effect. We are working directly with those projects that are not yet being implemented to determine alternative funding for their important work.
Rotary International, 2/6/2025
Mike ended with prayer in preserving our democracy.
Visiting Rotarians and Guests
Welcome Honorary Rotarian, Judy Pugh
Welcome to Margaret Marapat, Marie Anderson, Dan Parziale and Bruce Olson
Thank you to:
Bill Prather and Betsy Watson for setup and tech.
Kelley Rasmussen, our Greeter
Mike Weaver for the Inspirational Message
Leah Hecker for the roving mic
Cindy Frings for fining and confessions
Kathy Yee for the net
Carl Gross for reporter and editor of The Reminder Newsletter
And last but not least, Jayne Cruise for consistently great food and beverages.
Announcements
A big thank you to Cindy Frings, Sue Gilbreth, and Kathy Yee for the fun social last week. They organized a wine tasting at the Naturalist, samples of Heavenly Honey, and the Ojai Olive Press, all withing walking distance. A great time was had by all.
Leah Hecker, our new PR chair, will be meeting with interested Club members this Friday, February 14th at 1:30 (right after the meeting).
On February 28th, 6-8 PM, we will have a game night and social at the Ojai Art Center. A variety of gaming opportunities, fun, frolic, and festivities will abound. More to come. Check your email for an Evite.
Ventura Rotary East announced there will be a Wildlife Relief Benefit Saturday, February 15 from 5-9:30 at the Poinsettia Pavilion. They will have 2 bands, appetizers, no host bar. $25 per person. All proceeds go to benefit fire victims.
Something different—Please send Wendy photos from this year that are your favorites.
Please wear your Rotary shirts to the meeting this Friday, February 14th. President-Elect Sue Gilbreth wants to take some pictures. If anyone wants a picture for membership roster, let me know.
Recommendations--She would also like to hear from us about recommendations for movies, books, etc. Mike Weaver recommends the book Patriot by Alexi Navalny, a somber novel and warning about how our Country could end up if we do not change direction.
Wendy recommends the Netflix series, America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, Quarterback and Receivers.
Museum Moment
President Wendy showed sports memorabilia from the early years in the Valley.
Fining and confessions-Cindy Frings
Barry Verga was happy about the Ojai Rotary Ed. Foundation’s funds and the great good that the fund provides.
Cindy led the fining with jokes from the members. Her challenge: who delivered the joke?
The Program—Dan Parziale from Mesa Farms
Situated on 10 acres in the Ojai Valley, the transitional housing & trauma-informed programs that support the whole person help young adults facing homelessness create possibilities for a new future.
Dan thanked our Club for its ongoing support of this program. They started the project in April of 2022 with a grant and acreage on the East End of the Valley. The youth moved in August of 2024. To date, there are 13 residents with the goal of ending youth homelessness.
Thanks for the update, Dan. The success of your facility hopefully will be a blueprint for future facilities for our at risk youth.
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