ANNOUNCEMENTS

(notes provided by the venerable Neal Chamberlain)

 

The meeting was opened with an invocation by Kris Young.

Barb Lintner is recovering from an injury due to a fall.

February 15: Rotary Leadership Conference @ Richland Community College in Decatur being organized by Kathy Rector.

March 12: All Area Clubs Rotary Meeting – 109th Anniversary of Rotary, organized by Champaign West @ Round Barn Center (No Sunrise Meeting Thursday, March 13).

Allan Penwell reported on his trip to Moonshine, IL.

Mary announced that we need nominations from our club for various district awards.

 

 

PROGRAM

 

Veronica Valli, author of a new book “Why You Drink And How To Stop” was our speaker of the day.   Veronica described her personal problems with addiction:

*From early childhood I felt “uncomfortable in my own skin”.

*I struggled with anxiety, low self esteem, and depression.

*At the age of 15 I tried alcohol – then everything was good, I felt good, I felt normal.

*Alcohol became an anesthetic for an inner darkness inside.

*When I’m high, nothing matters – I’m free.

*The temporary effect wore off, then I needed more.

*Outside stuff wasn’t fixing inside problems.

*When it stopped being fun I knew I needed help.

 

At the age of 27 she first admitted that she was an addict:

*She found a pathway to a spiritual experience.

*Her life changed, for the first time in her life she “Felt comfortable in my own skin”.

 

Why do persons who “have everything” turn to drugs?

*They haven’t dealt with their inner problems.

*They are driven by a feeling that “what ever I have, it is still not enough”.

 

Addicts deal with the feeling of shame and are unable to accept the fact that they need help. She said the root cause of addiction is spiritual, our relationship with others, with our self and with our God. Veronic ended her presentation by saying, “when I got sober I didn’t want happiness as much as I just wanted peace”.

 

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Feb 13th Feb 20th Feb 27th Mar 6th
Introductions John McDaniel Phyllis Mischo Gary Olsen Scott Paceley
Invocation Amanda Alleman Curt Anderson Oktay Baran Eric Batsie
Greeters John McDaniel Phyllis Mischo Gary Olsen Scott Paceley
Jeff Van Buren Cary Woolard Kris Young Harold Adams
Song Leader Tod Satterthwaite Mitch Schluter Jen Shelby Lou Simpson
Notetaker Perry Penwell Hodson Lintner

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Upcoming Schedule

February 13th – Ken Buel, Past District Governor from Missouri and current Champaign Rotarian, will discuss the Foundation

February 20th – Patrick Mackay, President, 004 Technologies USA

February 27th – Dr. Irfan Ahmad will discuss the history of Islam, the local Muslim community, and the Avicenna Community Health Center

March 6th – Rotarian Lin Warfel will discuss 21st century farming and his newly released book of poetry

Wednesday, March 12th – All Club meeting at the Round Barn Conference Center

Mar 20th – TBD