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Maryna Wilson from the Ukraine, left, a lawyer, and Jenny Likharad from Belarus, a medical school graduate, both current residents of Fairhope, were guests recently of Point Clear Rotarian Dave Nelson.  Both spoke of the war in Ukraine and the difficulties the peoples of those countries are suffering.  Americans can help through Uniting For Ukraine, uscis.gov; the Samaritan Purse, the International Rescue Committee or the American Red Cross, they said.  The Point Clear Rotary Club meets every Thursday morning at the Sweetwater Café in the Grand Hotel’s Colony Club on Old Battles Road.

Our Own Storyteller Tells A Story: Train Robbers and Other Tales.

His topic was a couple of South Alabama notorious train-robbers, one of whom was called “Railroad Bill”, and who was celebrated in song by Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, and Taj Mahal, among others.

US Navy Command Master Chief Antonio “Tony” Perryman and crew.

Last week’s program featured US Navy Command Master Chief Antonio ”Tony” Perryman and crewmen from the USS Mobile Littoral Combat Ship. Mobile Navy Week is one of 14 Navy Weeks to be held in 2022, focusing a variety of assets, equipment and personnel on a single city for a weeklong series of engagements designed to bring America’s Navy closer to the people it protects. Each year, the program reaches mor than 140 million people. Navy Week is held in conjunction with Mobile’s peak Mard Gras Season where sailors from across the fleet converge on the city and surrounding areas to emphasize the importance of the Navy and participate in a variety of community outreach events. Master Chief Perryman likened military service to the Rotary motto “Service Above Self.” He said America’s military was ready for service “around the world and around the clock.” When speaking of teamwork in the military, CMC Perryman reminded Rotarians of President Truman’s   truism that, “It’s amazing what we can accomplish when nobody’s worried about who gets the credit” The week will conclude with festive parades on Fat Tuesday, March 1, with Sailors from namesake ships marching with the Navy Band. Citizens will be able to interact withSailors throughout the day.

Monde Donaldson, Vice President of the Better Business Bureau Educational Foundation of Central and South Alabama.

Rotary President Bill Booher is host to this week’s speaker, Monde Donaldson, vice president of the Better Business Bureau Educational Foundation of Central and South Alabama. In this position, she creates awareness for the BBB by building relationships with business leaders, community partners and the public through educational programs. The Mobile native came to the BBB after spending 27 years at Spring Hill College in the advancement division. She also led development efforts at McGill Toolen Catholic High School for 10 years.  She has worked at the University of Alabama, The Anniston Star and The Pensacola News Journal. Donaldson is a 1975 graduate of the University of Alabama where she served as editor of the student newspaper,} The Crimson White. Her civic involvement includes Leadership Mobile, Rotary Club of Mobile, Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce Small Business Council and vice president of the Diocese of Mobile Catholic Foundation Board. She lives in Spanish Fort with her husband, Bill, a local attorney. They have three grown children.

Last week, the Club hosted Officer Brian Millines and Lt. Shane Nolte of the Fairhope Police Department Nolte is a 25-year veteran of the FPD. He is a Fairhope native and his connection with the community has been essential to his law enforcement philosophy.

While serving in the Investigations Division, he also performed the duties of School Resource Officer and dealt with juvenile crimes. Currently, he is the department’s Public Information Officer and specializes in incidents involving mental health issues. Officer Brian Millines is a Foley High graduate, an Army veteran and has served over 16 years as a Law Enforcement Officer in Baldwin County. Over Millines’ career, he has been a part of Patrol, a Special Response Team (SWAT) and Investigations. Millines is the Resource Officer for Fairhope West Elementary School and a part of the D.A.R.E. program in Baldwin County Schools. The Drug Abuse Resistance Program is a police officer-led series of classroom lessons that teaches children from kindergarten through 12th grade how to resist peer pressure and live productive, drug and violence-free lives. D.A.R.E. has proven so successful that it has been implemented in thousands of schools throughout the United States.

The Point Clear Team is 0 for 21 in the Annual Chili Championship.

In their first return to competitive cooking since the Wuhan Disruption, the Point Clear Rotary Championship Cooking Team once again limped off the contested field bloodied but unbowed. “I like to view our performance as consistent,” said John Matus. “In spite of experimenting with a variety of recipes and ingredients over the past two decades, we have managed to achieve the same competitive results year in and year out.”

“Consistency is our strong suit,” says Head Chef John Matus

The Halstead Amphitheater, on the campus of the Coastal Alabama Community College in downtown Fairhope, was the site of the 21st annual defeat this past weekend. Rotarians who want to join the Championship Team in future efforts can contact any member or just show up. No experience or skill is required. Applicants who bring beer are eligible for management positions. The Championship Cooking Team’s next outing will be in May for the Downtown Rotary Club’s Annual Steak Cook-Off. Our team has won that event twice.

[note: This post was stolen from the Award-Winning Weekly Bulletin of the Point Clear Rotary Club, a product of the creative and capricious mind of Club Sergeant at Arms, Clerk, and award-winning publication editor, Joe Strange]

Rotarian and Grants Chair, Noah Funderburg, continues our review of local programs that receive grants from the Club.  Today’s guests are Tracey Miller, Executive Director and Charles Durgin, Senior Counselor from the Rotary Youth Club.    The RYC Mission is to empower youth to realize their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.  The Rotary Youth Club offers after school care, summer enrichment and a Pre-K program.  As the club doors open each school day at 3pm, members are arriving by school bus or being dropped off by parents knowing that their children have a safe and supportive environment for their afternoons.  RYC programs offer an afternoon of recreation and enrichment including art, music and even swim lessons on Fridays.  Baldwin County Master Gardener’s work with club members in the Outdoor Classroom Garden raising lettuce, carrots and brussels sprouts that become healthy snacks in the RYC kitchen.  The heart of the afternoon is the Power Hour of homework time.  Staff and community volunteers help members complete their homework and study.  The impact on grades is measurable.  So is the impact on lives – as these role models encourage, mentor and connect with club members.  Summers at the Rotary Youth Club are exciting for everyone.  The program is designed for elementary through high school-aged students to add variety, fun, and education to each child’s summer.  The RYC conducts field trips and other special activities planned during the summer.  While kids may look forward to summer and not having to worry about school or homework for a few months, a summer completely free of learning may set them back.  The Rotary Youth Club includes an Enrichment Academy to help students bridge the gap between the school years.  For three hours each morning, certified teachers help students sharpen their skills in reading, math and science.

Dr. David Ross was the host last week to speaker Rhonda McDavid, Executive Director of the Southeastern Diabetes Education Services at Camp Seale Harris.  The Camp is part of a Southeastern US regional organization of non-profits serving youth and families with diabetes through direct service programs that educate, inspire and empower healthy living.  Seale Harris and eight other locations serve more than 600 kids per year.

McDavid told Rotarians that the camp was named after a prominent Rotarian and Mobilian, Dr. Seale Harris. She said that the purpose of the camp was to give the campers a sense of community.  The Camps and counselors help the kids manage their glucose levels every day.  At camp, the stigma of being different is removed and the campers can work and play with their peers and appropriate medical supervision.