“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” – Aristotle

 

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” – Mahatma Gandhi – 1869-1948 – Indian Lawyer

 

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” – Eleanor Roosevelt – 1884-1962 – Former First Lady of the United States

 

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

(notes provided by the distinguished gentleman from Connecticut, Eduardo Perry)

 

Before the official start of this morning’s meeting Benny, our club’s representative in Israel, “Zoomed” in with a personal report from Israel. Benny gave a brief update on life in Israel along with photos, current and historic, of the area.  And he shared a weather report!

 

Ata’s reflection this morning centered on community service. It included an interesting and historical fact about Rotary’s first community service project. In 1907, under the leadership of Paul Harris, the Rotary Club of Chicago created a public comfort station at the corner of Washington and LaSalle.   

 

Phyllis reminded everyone of the Habitat Restore volunteer project this Saturday, 2/19/22, 10am to noon, in Urbana.

 

Darrell noted that our club is a major donor for the Read Across America project that will take place Saturday, March 26, 10am to 1pm at Lincoln Square in Urbana. Volunteer readers are needed. 

 

Bucket money this month goes to Habitat for Humanity ReStore.

 

 

PROGRAM

 

Nestor Ramirez, who is a valuable Rotarian in our community in so many ways, presented a wonderful program dealing with service above and beyond. He has always been a true believer in “Service Above Self”. 

 

This morning he presented a program “Life and Medicine in Southeast Columbia” in which he talked about his time serving as a young doctor in Columbia from 1973 to 1979. Fresh out of medical school, Nestor served the medical needs of San Vicente, El Doncello and Florencia in the Caqueta region. These small towns are located in the dense tropical areas of Columbia. 

 

As a part of the Rural Health Outreach program, he would travel to these areas by land, river or air. Nestor showed examples of these modes of transportation. By land, people and cargo were hauled by open air buses on dirt roads; by river, the boats were large canoes carved out from trees with powerful outboard motors to handle the loads and river currents. The DC3 aircraft was and still remains an important mode of air travel for people and cargo. He shared many photographs and stories of the various cargo that may accompany passengers such as food supplies, pigs, horses, cattle, and even dynamite. 

 

Nestor also shared information about the “local critters” he encountered in the tropics such as snakes, cockroaches, large crickets, tarantulas, piranhas, fruit bats and scorpions. Many times, as he traveled providing various medical needs, there would be a line of people standing and waiting for his arrival and medical care. He told stories of his personal encounters including the time he was kidnapped and taken by a group of resistance fighters. A hood was placed over his head and he was taken by mule to an armed rebel’s camp. He spent 3 days there providing medical care to a wounded rebel and after saving the man’s life, the rebel group paid him and safely returned Nestor.  

 

The program was filled with much more information including a story about delivering hogs in the jungle. Nestor has written a book about his Columbia exploits titled “If Pigs Could Fly’.  If you are interested in purchasing the book it can be bought directly from Nestor at the price of $15. Nestor donates all proceeds to the Rotary Foundation. 

(Notetaker’s note: I bought the book several years ago and it is an interesting and enjoyable read. After this amazing program this morning, I will definitely read it again).

 

—

  Feb 17th Feb 24th Mar 3rd Mar 10th
Introductions Phyllis Mischo Scott Paceley Robb Patton Jerry Payonk
Reflection Mary Hodson Bob La Charite Phyllis Mischo Scott Paceley
Greeters Phyllis Mischo Scott Paceley Robb Patton Jerry Payonk
Jarrod Scheunemann Jen Shelby Lou Simpson Charlie Smith
Notetaker Hodson Conforti Perry Hodson

 

—

 

UPCOMING SCHEDULE (with program committee member responsible listed in parentheses)

 

February 17th – An official from the Monticello Railway Museum (Charlie)

February 24th – Tom Teper will discuss the new home for special collections at the undergraduate library at UIUC (Joe)

March 3rd – TBD 

March 10th – Ginger Mills and Marlin Livingston, Cunningham Children’s Home, will discuss housing refugee children from the border (Mary)

March 17th – AG Michael Harris will discuss visiting Rotary Clubs around the world (Mary)

March 24th – TBD (Tom)

March 31st – TBD

April 7th – TBD

April 14th – TBD (Bob)

April 21st – TBD (Cary)

April 28th – Jordan Dziura, the Executive Director at Illini Media Co., will discuss the Daily Illini’s 110th anniversary, upcoming reunion for IMC alums, and the future of college media (Charlie)

May 5th – TBD

May 12th – TBD (Joe)

May 19th – Major General (ret) William L. Enyart (Mary)