“Trust your hunches. They’re usually based on facts filed away just below the conscious level.” ― Joyce Brothers 

 

“The human body has two ends on it: one to create with and one to sit on. Sometimes people get their ends reversed. When this happens they need a kick in the seat of the pants.” ― Theodore Roosevelt 

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

(Notes provided by Allan Penwell)

There is no Thursday morning meeting this week, but we will have our Visioning session beginning at 4:45 p.m. at our same location, the Hawthorne Suites.  See everyone there!

As a follow up to Visioning, we will have a club assembly at our meeting on September 1st.  Committee chairs should be prepared to update the club on their goals for this Rotary year.

The Rotary International Convention is to be held in Atlanta, Georgia June 10-14, 2017.  Plan to attend if you need a good dose of Rotary.

 

SPEAKER

Our speaker on the 18th was Cassie Carroll who is the Program Director for The Land Connection and a member of Rotary West.  The Land Connection trains farmers in resilient, restorative, farming techniques; informs the public about the sources of our food and why that matters; and works to protect and enhance farmland so that we and generations to come will have clean air and water, fertile soil, and healthy, delicious food.

The focus of The Land Connection is to help small-plot farmers to get started and sustain good farming practices to include organic farming.  Help is given to those who have only beginning knowledge of farming as well as those who are experienced.  Help is in the form of education, acquiring land, and marketing of the crop or livestock.  Education begins with a nine-week course on building a farm business plan for sustainable agriculture.  About 20 farm families participate, and students are linked with a mentor after the workshop series ends.

The Land Connection has trainings that include organic grains courses, the Food Safety Modernization Act, good agricultural practices, transition to organic production, and market readiness. Training has been provided to over 700 farmers in the last two years and over 170 farmers have attended the organic grains courses. Members participate in our local farmers’ markets by selling their produce and even connect in with the public on cooking techniques.  In particular, The Land Connection hosts the Champaign Farmer’s Market from 4-7pm on Tuesday evenings in the parking lot to the west of the Orpheum.

 

 

 

  Aug 25th Sept 1st Sept 8th Sept 15th
Introductions No duties Reuben Chambers Paul Conforti Diana Dummitt
Invocation this week John McDaniel Phyllis Mischo Scott Paceley
Greeters due to Reuben Chambers Paul Conforti Diana Dummitt
Visioning Andrew Kerins Bob La Charite Barb Lintner
Song Leader Training Mary Hodson Larry Johnson Andrew Kerins
Notetaker Hodson Lintner Conforti Perry
Decker Weeding Paceley      
Next Weekend        
Decker Garden Simpson      
Watering        

 

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

August 25th – Regular meeting canceled; 5:00PM Club Visioning Session at (Xpm) at Hawthorne Suites

September 1st – Club Assembly

September 8th – TBD

September 15th – Michelle and Gary Olsen will discuss their recent trip to Cuba

September 22nd – TBD

September 29th – TBD

October 6th – TBD

October 13th – TBD