Our February service project: Mardi Bras!

Women of Millcreek Rotary - Men ask the women in your life - Please bring new or gently used bras to our club meeting this Thursday, Feb 4, 5:30pm at Cafe Madrid.

We will be working with Title Nine, a retailer of women's athletic apparel and gear (located at 9th & 9th) as they partner with Free the Girls, a nonprofit organization providing job opportunities for sex trafficking survivors in developing countries.

Their current Mardi Bras drive is for lightly used or unworn bras to donate. Second hand clothing is a profitable market in many countries around the world. Please check your drawers and donate bras you never wear or that never fit right. Title Nine will give you a $5 gift certificate for your donation.

Our two newest members!

At our last business meeting, we inducted Justin Powell and Jim Schott. As the majority of our members are women, it is nice to have men joining the club :-)

Here is a little about both:

Justin Powell is the Director of the Real Life, teen refugee mentoring program associated with Youthlinc. a Utah based youth service nonprofit. He has been a Team Leader on 9 Youthlinc international service trips, including a multi-time team leader, to Cambodia, Vietnam, Peru, and Kenya.  He has lived abroad for several years, including Australia, South Korea, Egypt, and Vietnam.

Locally, he has volunteered with refugee and under-served youth and adults and formed a civic engagement club in the Salt Lake City School District.  Justin was a high school teacher in English, history, and business.  He taught at the Salt Lake Center for Science Education and at West High School.  He has an International Business degree from Westminster College, an English degree from the University of Utah, and a Master’s of Teaching degree from Westminster College.

Justin and his wife Britnie are quite a service team. Their son Atticus is the youngest Youthlincer on record. He’ll go on his fourth trip this summer at the ripe age of 3.

Here's Justin in Madagascar. He is engaged in writing a Rotary International Global Grant for a water project there.

Jim Schott is the proud husband of wife Jan and father of daughter Stephanie, age 22. Born and raised in Wisconsin, he takes equal pride in his Cheesehead pedigree, having worked summers in a brewery and cheese factory and owning stock in the Green Bay Packers.

Jim began his business career in his parents' retail store at age 8. He went on to earn a Bachelor's in marketing from the University of Wisconsin and an Executive MBA from the University of Washington. Today he applies his leadership skills as Utah division manager of Western Oilfield Supplies Co./Rain For Rent, a leading provider of industrial liquid handling solutions.

During rare moments of downtime, Jim golfs, skis, snowshoes, mountain bikes, cooks, agonizes over his beloved Packers, and enjoys meeting friends at the Rotary Club of Millcreek.

Here is Jim snowshoeing with his wife and daughter. 

Meeting Minutes January 14, 2016

Attendees (16):

Liz Sherlock, Susan Marks, Danny Schoenfeld, Shannon Tilly, Jennie Ferguson, Chris Casper, Jim Schott, Laurie Summers-Pisani, Mustafa Celebi, Rose Defa, Frank Lilly, Justin Powell, Brian Rollo, Sonia Woodbury, John Zone and Judy Zone.

The meeting was chaired by Danny Schoenfeld. Meeting held at Café Madrid.

Guests:

Max Calleja, exchange student. Max stated he is starting an indoor soccer program and hopes to be going to college next year to study International Business.

The Four Way test was recited.

Rotary moment:

Induction of Jim Schott and Justin Powell by Danny Schoenfeld.

Social:

Jennie stated that per member request bowling has been scheduled at the Millcreek Bowling Alley in the Olympus Cove Mall on January 29th. This is a Friday, at 6 p.m.

Jim Schott stated that skiing and snowshoeing at Solitude resort has been scheduled for February, Sunday the 21st. Solitude has 10k of snowshoeing trails for those who don’t ski.

March social will be Cheese tasting (with optional wine) at Caputo’s in Holladay on March 17th.

The Wine into Water Committee was formed with Laurie Summers-Pisani as chair.

Notes:

Judy Zone stated that the Thailand team retreat is continuing and we have contributed $120.00 Those who want can give cash now. Susan Marks asked if some club money could be used for this. Treasurer Frank Lilly said that he is re-doing the annual budget and has proposed a “fund money” program for such requests, and maybe a line specifically for refugees.

There was a discussion of whether to take on a new refugee family, tabled until or unless some volunteers to mentor the family can be found.

A birthday cake was brought in for Max and everyone shared a birthday wish for him. He received a cash gift as well.

Shannon Tilly suggested we send a similar gift to exchange student Lydia in France. Members agreed. A card will be passed around at the next meeting.

Judy Zone mentioned that the District Grant of $550 (with a matching amount from the club) is for computers for the refugees. Brian volunteered another computer.

Justin Powell stated that there is a global grant for Madagascar water project and we might want to consider this for our Wine into Water this year.

Next meetings February 4th and February 11th (board meeting after), Café Madrid.

Meeting adjourned.

Millcreek Club receives Rotary District Grant

Our club has received a District Grant to purchase computers for a center serving the refugee community in South Salt Lake.

The computers will be used at the Scott School Community Center by 125-150 Bhutanese, Iraqi, Somali, Burmese and Latino refugees living well below poverty level and who do not have computer access at home. 

The use will be mainly for Citizen classes, individual tutoring, mentoring, homework, ESL classes and general student work. 

All members of Rotary Club of Millcreek are involved in a family mentoring program through Promise South Salt Lake, who run the selected Community Center. 

The intent is that the grant will cover two (2-3) computers and Rotary Club of Millcreek will assist with one (l) computer.

Meeting Minutes January 7, 2016

Attendees (11):
Liz Sherlock, Susan Marks, Danny Schoenfeld, Shannon Tilly, Jennie Ferguson, Margreta Hjorth-Vlasic, Marty Gelman, Chris Casper, Jim Schott, Laurie Summers-Pisani, and Judy Zone.

The meeting was chaired by Danny Schoenfeld. Meeting held at Café Madrid.

Guests:

No guests attended.

The Four Way test was recited.

Rotary moment:

Chris and Laurie shared a video of the refugee family they have been mentoring singing a carol in thanks for the gifts and support they received. The family is from Tanzania. They will be having a dinner with them on January 12th in celebration of a birthday. All members are invited to attend, meet at Dan’s on Foothill at 5 pm.

Social:
Jennie stated that nothing is planned for January, she would like ideas for February. For March, plans are being made to meet at Granato’s for a cheese and wine class on March 17th. The cost will be $25 without alcohol, another $15 if you want wine. It is a Thursday night, we need 15 people. Members agreed that we could get 15 to participate and she should go ahead and make the arrangements.

Elections:

The nominating committee put forth the following for officers:

President: Chris Casper
President-elect: Margareta Hjorth-Vlasic
Treasurer: Frank Lilly
Secretary: Rose Defa

For voting, Danny had proxies from Justin Powell, Rose Defa, Frank Lilly and Brian Rollo.

Judy had a proxy from John Zone.

Susan had a proxy from Mike Siegel.

Shannon had a proxy from Stephanie Chard.

Voting was by secret ballot, 18 votes were cast, the slate was voted in unanimously.

Fund raising: 

The need for a chair and co-chair for Wine into Water was discussed. Also the need for a new venue. Some ideas were presented, such as a cooking venue.

Membership:

Can Cinbis is not going to join. Ladd Tanner and Jason Collier have resigned.

Misc Notes:
Judy Zone suggested the idea of an Easter parade near Olympus Hills Shopping Center for kids. This would be a public relations event, we could get businesses to participate

Susan Marks reminded the group that there are recognition points available for members to become Paul Harris fellows.

Shannon Tilly suggested we send a New Year’s gift to exchange student Lydia in France. Members agreed.

Service Projects:

Marty suggested we do more as a group such as the food bank or School Bell thrift shop. He feels this will bring the group together. Margareta will look into it and book a date in the future.

Next meeting January 14th, Café Madrid. Board meeting to follow after.

Meeting adjourned.

Joy - and water - are flowing in El Sauce, Guatemala because of our Global Grant!

Here is a message from Lois Werner, Executive Director of People for Guatemala, the cooperating agency on the Rotary Global Grant for this water project.

Millcreek Club contributed $3,000 from our Wine into Water proceeds to give clean water to 250 families in a remote Guatemalan village. The water came in time for Christmas!

Bruce Powell, the District Foundation Chair as of this July 1, wrote the grant. Supporting clubs in addition to Millcreek were Centerville-Farmington, Roosevelt and Vernal.

We were in the village to celebrate the project. The tank is full of water and yesterday they opened all 6 valves so water ran to all 250 families. Hector, the president of the water committee told us today "do not ask me about how I felt when I turned on the water. I have no words to tell you my emotions".  The women told us "we hugged each other and cried".  What a great Christmas gift you and your fellow Rotarians gave this community.  I got to start the generator today so we could hear the generator run.  We enjoyed a picnic with the water committee and the plumbers that worked along side the men building the project.  There are many days I love my volunteer job and today was certainly one of the best!

Please enjoy your Christmas knowing you have changed the lives of 250 families in El Sauce. They are enjoying this Christmas knowing they no longer have to suffer without water. 

Many blessings to you.

Lois