It was a great day to be a Rotarian, welcoming fellowing Rotarian Carl Dickerson from the Cantonment Rotary Club in Florida. Carl founded Dickerson Literacy Initiatives and shared about Rotary International Projects in Costa Rica.
Dickerson Literacy Initiatives, LLC (DLI) is a specialized consulting company that designs literacy projects. We work with individuals, businesses, literacy foundations, churches and civic organizations to create and develop literacy projects which benefit children. Our projects support literacy, encourage a love of reading, raise awareness, strengthen and inspire community unity through collaboration. DLI donates well written and beautifully illustrated new books to support the reading initiative set forth in each literacy project. Age and culturally appropriate titles are carefully selected and approved for donation to school libraries, classrooms and given directly to children to create home libraries.
DLI projects include:
- Reading to and with children
- Encouraging a love of reading
- Creating opportunity and special memories with role models
- Strengthening the communities we serve
- Collaborative structure and design to make a significant impact
- Initiatives to raise awareness and create unity
- Sustainability
- Fun and memorable presentations
- Improving reading proficiency
- Promoting the continued growth of Rotary through collaboration
- Marketing for our sponsors and all those involved
- Preventing the Summer Slide
- Special events around National holidays with educational resources
- Donating new, high quality books to support a reading initiative
- Investing in our most precious resource, children
Today's illustrious Sergeant was Bill Rieth, raising funds that support our local not for profit partners through Rotary Grants made in the spring.
Bill shared some incredibly important information about some September holidays... Including:
- Beard Day! For thousands of years guys all had beards. There were no shaving kits or shaving cream. The idea of shaving didn’t start until around 4,000 B.C., when a rudimentary form of shaving cream was developed by Sumerians in Mesopotamia (located in present day Iraq.). The cream was made from animal fat and ash!
- Fortune Cookie Month! Fortune cookies most likely were created by a Japanese man named Makoto Hagiwara in 1914 in San Francisco. Hagiwara owned what is now called the Golden Gate Park Japanese Tea Garden, where he served tea and fortune cookies.
- National Stupid Question Day! Teachers say there is no such thing as a stupid question.... but maybe there are exceptions. In honor of National Stupid Question Day, enjoy these thought-provoking ponderances:
- Why do people push harder on a remote-control button when they know the battery is dead?
- Why do they call it “getting your pet fixed” if afterward, not everything works any more for your pet?
- If a kid refuses to sleep during nap time, are they guilty of resisting a rest?
- If you try to fail, and succeed, - which have you done?
- What is another word for “thesaurus?”
- Why is it that if you donate a kidney, people love you. But if you donate five kidneys, they call the police?
- Do zombies eat brains because they’re hungry for knowledge?
- If corn oil is made from corn and vegetable oil is made from vegetables. What is baby oil made from?
Rotarians are an integral and engaged part of our community! The following is a running list of events represented by Rotarians from the Elkhart Rotary Club. If you’d like more information, contact the Rotarian from the event or email elkhartnoonrotary@gmail.com and your message will be forwarded to them.
- September 27, 4 p.m. Life Enhancement-Literacy Link “Read With Me’ session with the Red Ribbon Rookies. Location: Prairie Street Mennonite Church, 1316 Prairie Street, Elkhart. We could ALWAYS use more Rotary Readers! Contact: Jim Snodgrass
- September 28, 6 p.m. Page to Stage District 6540 Grant Project with the Elkhart Public Library! We will be performing at the Elkhart Public Library Atrium. Come watch the show for FREE or maybe come early to help us set up as we transform the Library into a Magical Garden Set for these talented youth to edu-tain us all! WE REALLY NEED VOLUNTEERS for this event: 3-4 people to help with set up, handing out programs, and selling concessions (5-6:15 p.m.) and another 3-4 people to help sell concessions and tear-down/clean up (6:15 – 7:30ish). Those interesting in helping should contact Lisa as soon as possible.Contacts: Julie Cotton and Lisa Guedea-Carreno
- September 29, gates open at 4 p.m. Five Star Life presents Horses & Heroes. Bust out your cowboy boots and get ready for an evening full of equine demonstrations, live music, food, drinks, face painting, crafts for the kids, and more! Bring your kids, grandkids, family and friends! All proceeds raised will support Five Star Life's Equine Program. Location: Summit, 14260 US 12, Union, MI 49130. For more info and to RSVP visit https://form.jotform.com/232145026918151 Contact: Larry Knight
- October 6-7, 6-9 p.m. Garden of Villains. Heroes and Villains invade Wellfield! Presented in partnership with the Hall of Heroes Superhero Museum, this Halloween-themed event combines the natural beauty of Wellfield with your favorite superheroes and villains and the fun of trick-or-treating. Full details and tickets at: https://wellfieldgardens.org/garden-of-villains-at-wellfield-botanic-gardens/ Contact: Eric Garton
- October 7, 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Freedom Walk. Join the Goshen Rotary as they partner with Destiny Rescue to walk our way to rescue kids from sexual exploitation and human trafficking and help them stay free! Location: Goshen High School Track, 401 Lincolnway East in Goshen. Info and registration at https://freedomwalkgoshen2023.funraise.org/ Contact: Terri Rickel
- October 8, 2-4 p.m. First Presbyterian Church Reception for Jim and Vernease Pyles - long term Elkhart residents and Morning Club Rotarian charter member. The Pyles are moving to North Carolina after a long and distinguished career as part of the Elkhart community, Jim with Miles Laboratories, and Vernease with Elkhart Community Schools Medical staff. Friends are hosting an informal reception in their honor. 200 East Beardsley Ave. (adjacent to Ruthmere Mansion). Contact: Andy McCaskey
- October 14, 7 p.m. Elkhart County Symphony and Goshen Theater present the concert version of Meredith Willson's "The Music Man". For more information and tickets visit https://elkhartsymphony.org/ Contact: John Hill
- October 21, 9 a.m. Elkhart Rotary Club County Road 6 Cleanup! Meet in the parking lot at 3414 Co Rd 6, Elkhart, IN 46514. Signup with/Contact: Tom McArthur
- October 21, doors open at 5 p.m., dinner at 6 p.m. The Center for Community Justice (CCJ) invites you to the Restorative Justice Award (RJA) Dinner, celebrating the 45th anniversary of the first Victim Offender Reconciliation Program in the United States. Location: Matterhorn Conference Center. For more information and tickets visit https://www.centerforcommunityjustice.org/ Contact: Irwin Larrier
- November 16, 5:30 p.m. Social, 6:15 p.m. Dinner. District 6540 Foundation Fundraising Dinner at the Crystal Ballroom in Elkhart. The event is seeking silent and live auction items, donations, and sponsors. Guest Speaker is John Smarge, Rotary International Director 2010-2012 and RI-USAID Partnership Steering Committee 2021-2024. Contact: Terri Rickel